


Smells Like Team Spirit

by orphan_account



Category: RWBY
Genre: Actual Human Vibrator James Ironwood, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Canon-Typical Violence, Depictions of Abusive Relationships, Depictions of Death, Depictions of Fantasy Drug Use, Drama, Friendship, Get together fic, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Rimming, Romance, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-06-02 13:25:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 80,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6568078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>By day, James Ironwood is a billionaire CEO trying to change the world, and by night, he’s General Steel, current leader of The Guild, the world’s largest organized network of superheroes. In either identity, James prides himself with being able to handle any task, but when Guild founder, the Wizard, tasks James with bringing in Nevermore, a rogue vigilante, James realizes this might be his greatest challenge yet.</p><p>His problems continue to mount in the form of Qrow Branwen, a mysterious, and incredibly perceptive, photographer, who keeps turning up everywhere he goes. As his attraction mounts for both Qrow and Nevermore, and a conspiracy mounts in the shadows of Atlas, James realizes there is more to his world than he’s ever known. And, moreover, that the Guild doesn’t stand a chance against what’s coming next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act One: Nevermore

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the Vigilante AU! This is the fic that made me break my (albeit one time only demonstrated) rule of making all Always You fics one chapter long. This fic is _way_ too long to be only one chapter.
> 
> So, this is Vigilante AU. Full of superhero tropes, full of references to said tropes, and full of relationship development. This fic is also the reason why I haven't been posting much IronQrow lately. This is what I've been working on the last couple weeks. The next two chapters (acts) will go up in the following weeks. Cheers all!
> 
> Shoutout to CaptainLeBubbles/WyomingsMustache, who gave me the idea for Qrow's alter ego name.
> 
> I'll probably have more to say in the next act. It's three am. I'm very tired. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to princelycarcanet for the awesome amazing totally spectacular cover!!!

_Do you know what it takes, to be a hero?_

  
The charity ball started in a little over an hour, and instead of prepping speeches, double checking the catering, and generally doing anything to do with the event, James Ironwood was currently locked in an underground brawl with the Lieutenant, who was one of his least favourite people in the White Fang.

James grunted as he took another hit from the Lieutenant. The fist caught him on the right side, his sensors spitting back data on damages and pressure points. James shook it off. Side-stepped the next punch. The Lieutenant’s chainsaw sword – and really, these weapons were just getting ridiculous – was off to the side, having been knocked away by James earlier in the fight.

James swung left, dodged right. Kept his mind on the fight. Left-right-left-left-back. Trading blows and blocks around the expansive underground sewer system. He swung hard at the Lieutenant’s face, then dropped low into a sweeping kick. The Lieutenant fell back and grabbed his sword faster than James could react. James’ curse was lost in the roar of the chainsaw sword starting up.

Just as he went for his own weapon, a high powered, pistol sized Taser, a series of purple rings appeared around the Lieutenant and squeezed his arms to his sides before lifting him into the air. His chainsaw sword deactivated as it hit the ground. The sewers went mostly silent again – apart from the persistent drip-drip-drip of water spilling out of one of the pipes behind James.

White Queen stepped out from behind a large, suspended pipe and smirked. With her white masquerade mask, stylized like a swan’s face, he couldn’t tell if she had an eyebrow raised at him, but he felt she did. It would have been thematically appropriate.

“Hello, General Steel,” she drawled in that always calm voice of hers. She flipped back a strand of white-blonde hair from her face. James nodded to her, aware that his own expressions were hidden behind the metallic coating he wore as General Steel.

“White Queen, a pleasure as always,” he said, nodding respectfully. She hummed before flicking her wand. The Lieutenant made a strangled noise as a purple energy gag was placed over his lips.

“Indeed,” she said. “I thought you were off-duty tonight.” She folded her arms, ruffling the complicated, form fitting layers of her costume, which had a capelet of white synthetic feathers draped around her shoulders.

He nodded, squaring his shoulders. “I am, just cleaning up. I should get going.”

“I’ll handle this,” said White Queen. She looked over at the Lieutenant and a low warning entered her voice. Her purple eyes glowed faintly as she strolled toward him. “You are in for a treat tonight, Lieutenant, I haven’t been an interrogator in far too long.” She whacked her wand against her open palm to punctuate the sentence. James swallowed and gave her a salute before heading out. It was a good thing his coating hid most of his expressions, thought James, because he knew he was a little bug eyed at her words.

He almost felt sorry for the Lieutenant. Almost.

James headed back through the complicated, and absurdly spacious, sewer system and climbed up a ladder and out into an alleyway in the downtown area of Atlas City. In the distance, he could hear traffic, clubs, and other sounds of life and enjoyment. The moon was out tonight, mostly full instead of one of its shattered forms, and he smiled up at it.

The Lieutenant had seemed to be working alone, and had been the only criminal he’d spotted tonight outside of a couple muggings. James’ smiled widened, unnoticeable with his coating but there all the same. It was a good night to be in Atlas.

He headed back for his patrol car, and then for his home, slipping in through the secret entrance underneath the cliffs so that no one already at the ball, which was taking place at his estate, saw him.

In his base, which was a sharply maintained underground “lair” of sorts, he pulled the bands from around his wrists that created the metal coating and set them aside. He shook off the cold from the coating and stretched, popping his spine from the last fall in the fight. He would need to recalibrate his arm after the ball. That last hit had knocked it out of alignment.

James stripped out of his uniform – boots, gloves, jacket, shirt, pants, and boxer-briefs, and stumbled into the shower in his base. He stood under the spray for a minute, eyes closed as he ran over his to-do list for the night. Donations, speeches, check the food to make sure the new catering business was up to par. He wanted to support such a lovely start up, especially when it was run by such a lovely man – Douglas, James remembered – but he had to make sure it wouldn’t cause a riot in high society.

Ah, the joys of balancing both sides of Atlas City.

James stepped out of the shower and got a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he did, towel around his waist and shoulders. His entire right side was gleaming under the base lights. Shining metal, some white, some black, some silver. A few glowing blue lights where his power cells were. James pressed his lips tightly together, eyes trailing down the metal side of his torso and to his metal leg.

He turned away from the mirror, eyes tight, and got dressed, having made sure his suit was already downstairs when he left for a quick patrol.

White pants, white jacket with black edging, grey waistcoat, light blue button-up, navy tie, black shoes. He combed his hair into place, ran his thumb over the slip of metal above his right eyebrow, and headed for the elevator out of his base.

He straightened his tie in the elevator wall’s reflection before pulling his customary white glove out of his pocket and slipping it over the white and silver metal of his right hand. The door dinged as it opened and James stepped out, checking to see that the bookcase door slid back into place before heading down the hallway and into the party.

Inside, many had already gathered, and more were still coming through the side door of the ballroom. Light music played from the live band on the stage off to the side, and a handful of servers were carrying trays of hors d’oeuvres and champagne flutes around the immense ballroom. James plucked one of the flutes as another server went by him and nodded his head to them.

Then, he slipped further into the ballroom, calling out greetings and well-wishes as he went.

“James Ironwood.” There was only one person, James knew, that said his name quite like that. He turned and smiled as his eyes fell upon Glynda Goodwitch. Her green eyes twinkled up at him from behind her horn rimmed glasses. Her purple evening gown covered one shoulder and a transparent silver shawl hung around her shoulders, purple sparkles catching the light in the fabric.

“Glynda,” said James fondly. “What a surprise, I didn’t expect to see you here.” The unsaid _because I left you in the sewers_ hung between them for scarcely a second.

Glynda gave a modest laugh, picture perfect always. “Oh, James, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” He held out his hand to her and she took it, and the two slipped onto the dance floor and into a simple waltz.

“How’d it go?” he asked, voice low.

Glynda gave him an amused look. “The Lieutenant is nothing to me, James, you know that.”

He hummed and shifted his grip, drawing her out into a spin before pulling her close again. “I do,” he agreed. “Forgive me for worrying about my friends.”

“And teammates,” added Glynda.

James chuckled lowly. “That too.” They kept dancing around the ballroom, his hand on her waist and her hand on his shoulder. It was a simple dance, one that allowed them both to catch up. To talk about work and home, and discuss the new building projects James was starting in Atlas as the construction season kicked up in full force. He was hoping to get the two new homeless shelters built before winter hit the city in full force in a few months. That would, hopefully, cut down on hypothermia victims in the parks.

“I didn’t know you let photographers into your balls,” said Glynda, leaning slightly to look behind him. James turned and, sure enough, a man wearing a well-cut black-on-black suit with a blood red tie stood off to the side of the room. There was a camera around his neck, a champagne flute in one hand, and a devilled egg in the other. Despite his posture – slumped, small, and reeking of drunk – his eyes were sharp and alert, and James narrowed his own in curiosity.

“He must be from Atlas Unlimited,” said James, turning his gaze back to Glynda, though his focus remained on the man behind him. “Asper and Pearl are old friends, and when they asked for an exclusive, I couldn’t say no.” He smiled warmly at Glynda. “Perhaps I should introduce myself.”

Glynda raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps.”

“What?” asked James.

“Mm,” said Glynda, sounding a touch amused. “Just your friendly personality at work then, James?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Glynda’s lips twitched. “So you _don’t_ think he’s handsome?”

James felt the tips of his ears turn red. “And how would you know?” he asked, turning it back around expertly. “You’re gayer than I am.”

Glynda let out a sharp laugh that had others turning heads toward them. She pressed her lips together and looked up at him, mirth dancing in her eyes.

“I can find him aesthetically pleasing,” said Glynda.

Well, she had him there. James cleared his throat. “I’m going to go introduce myself.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Glynda called after him. James felt the back of his neck flush. Surely she was joking. James didn’t even know his _name_ … although his eyes were rather beautiful, and something about him radiated mystery in a way that made James want to crack him open to understand.

Must have been the detective in him, really. Nothing odd about that at all _._

James crossed the room toward the man with a friendly, if reserved, smile on his face. About ten feet back from the man, the man straightened slightly, obviously spotting James.

“Hello,” said James, spreading his hands. The man raised an eyebrow at him, gaze sweeping up and down his body once. “I’m James Ironwood, I presume you’re the photographer from Atlas Unlimited?”

He held out his left hand to shake. The man raised his other eyebrow, a trick James had only previously seen Glynda do, and popped the devilled egg in his mouth to take James’ hand.

“Qrow Branwen,” he said when he had swallowed. As they dropped hands, Qrow stuffed his thumb in the waistband of his suit. “Fancy ball for a charity gig.”

“Nothing but the best for my friends in Atlas,” said James smoothly.

Qrow’s lips twitched in a not-altogether pleasant way. “Right,” he said. There was something smug in his tone that reminded James of Schnee and Jorge, two of the most insufferable men he dealt with in his day job.

“And I don’t suppose there was a… better use for all this money?” Qrow wasn’t even trying not to smirk now, the left side of his mouth drawn up much further than the right.

James fought the urge to narrow his eyes and kept smiling. “There’s always more to go around in my world.” He spread his hands again. “A ball won’t detract from my work in the least, and will encourage others to join me in my pursuits to a better Atlas.”

“Right,” said Qrow drily. He took a long swing from his flute before continuing. “And none of this has anything to do with images or fronts.” His voice was low, but it danced along his words like a well-choreographed routine. Twisting artfully into James’ ears.

James swallowed to keep himself from betraying his frustration. “I’m not sure I know what you’re implying,” said James slowly.

Qrow raised his eyebrows. A server went by and he stuck his empty champagne flute onto the tray and plucked up the new one in one elegant gesture. “Then I suppose you’re not as brilliant as the world would have us believe, _Ironwood_ ,” said Qrow, smoothly. “How disappointing.”

Now James did grit his teeth, fighting the urge to kick the man out of his ballroom for his arrogance.

“I assure you, Mr. Branwen,” said James, keeping his voice calm as he smiled through gritted teeth. “That I am every bit the man most think me to be. I’m not one for secrets.”

Qrow hummed. “Sure.” The disbelief and sheer amusement in his voice made James bristle. He switched gears before he said anything rude.

“Well, if you need anything for your pictures, please, don’t hesitate to let me know,” said James, flashing Qrow a tight smile. Qrow only hummed again, amusement evident in his eyes, and waved him off as James crossed the ballroom.

James frowned as he went. The man was far too smug for someone in his position. Didn’t he realize that very few photographers were allowed into these ballrooms? James cast a glance over his shoulder to find Qrow discussing something or other with one of the servers. Even from a distance, Qrow’s eyes were alight with mirth, even if the rest of his body language didn’t betray it.

Before James could turn back, Qrow’s gaze caught his across the ballroom. His lips quirked into a smirk and he winked. James turned around as he felt his neck flush. The nerve of some people, honestly.

He walked back to Glynda, flexing his right fist as he went.

“What happened?” asked Glynda when he approached her by one of the buffet tables. She was studying a platter of sushi thoughtfully, a champagne flute held aloft in her right hand.

“I don’t like him,” said James, keeping his voice down. “I’ve known him for all of two minutes and I don’t like him.”

Glynda raised one well-kept eyebrow at him. “Oh?” she said. Her voice betrayed nothing to the thoughts behind it.

“He’s arrogant, thinks he’s better than all of us here, and he has to be on his third flute, at least,” muttered James. He had to be drunk. No one was _that_ stupid while sober. He plucked up a flute of his own, careful to hold it with his left hand, lest he shatter it, and took a sip. “And if he takes any pictures tonight, I’ll be amazed.”

Now it was Glynda’s turn to look pensive – her lips pressed together and her brow furrowed. “Something about him really rubbed you the wrong way. I don’t usually see you this frustrated with a stranger.”

James shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said quietly. He knew, somewhat, but he struggled to repeat the conversation to Glynda. “I just… I don’t like him.” He licked his lips in one quick motion and sipped his flute again.

Before Glynda could think of a response, James caught sight of someone else he hadn’t expected to see at the party. Her long, red hair was done up in an artful bun, and there was a flush to her cheeks that was only partially blush and probably mostly anxiety.

“Pyrrha,” said James, fond. The girl turned and smiled warmly at him, the corners of her eyes tight. She crossed the gap and paused just before him. He clasped her on the shoulder with his right hand and smiled. “It’s good to see you here,” he said.

“Hello, Mr. Ironwood,” said Pyrrha, bowing her head. “It’s an honour to be here.”

James laughed, tension sliding out of his body. “Always so formal,” he said, smiling. “But you aren’t here alone, are you? You only turned fifteen, what, two months ago?” He tried to recall her birthday, but scrambled for anything beyond “July”. Something with a two, he thought.

“Yes,” said Pyrrha. “My parents are working on a new proposal for Schnee Corporation tonight, for the convention in a few weeks. They asked me to send their regards.” James nodded. “I’m here with the Vasilias family, but I appear to have lost them.” She bit her lip and looked up at James through her bangs.

James couldn’t help the soft, amused chuckle that slipped out of him. “Now, how on Earth did you lose someone with Neptune’s hair colour?” he asked. He’d seen Neptune in the news a few weeks ago, when he and his friend Sun had terminated the sexist dress code in one of Atlas’ private schools and were being interviewed. He’d apparently decided that electric blue would make a good hair colour.

While James had been surprised by it, he found the boy pulled it off quite well.

“I have no idea,” said Pyrrha. She sighed, but it was more put-upon dramatics than genuine. “He’s a slippery one.” Her gaze slid to the floor as she said it, words drawn out slightly like she wasn’t sure what to say.

“Mm, I can believe that quite easily,” said James. He took his hand off Pyrrha’s shoulder and held it out to her. “Well, as long as you’re free, would you like to dance?”

Pyrrha’s face lit up as she smiled up at him, her brilliant eyes shining. She took his hand shyly, giggling behind her other hand. “Of course, Mr. Ironwood.”

James led Pyrrha out onto the dancefloor. He bowed to her and she curtsied back, giggling behind one hand again, before he took her hand and led her in a slow, spiralling dance across the dancefloor.

As they danced, James caught himself singing along softly to the music, remembering the lyrics from his days playing piano for his mother. The tightness around Pyrrha’s eyes faded as they danced, her footsteps growing surer as James’ voice grew stronger. But he kept it low, just loud enough for Pyrrha to hear and no one else.

As the song came to a close, James twirled Pyrrha out into a spin, stepping sideways when he twirled her back in so that her back was to his chest, her arms crossed in front of her as she held onto his hands. She was laughing happily now, louder and brighter than before. When she looked up at him, a strand of hair hanging in her face, James caught himself grinning.

“You are quite the dance partner, Pyrrha Nikos. Glynda may have her work cut out for her,” said James. He twirled Pyrrha back around and released her hands, bowing again.

“I had an excellent teacher,” said Pyrrha. She curtsied once more, and James noticed a few people clapping and watching the two. Pyrrha gave them a little wave before edging her way toward the dessert table. James followed after, slowing his pace so that they could walk together.

Out of the corner of his eye, James caught Qrow holding up his camera, his rusty eyes twinkling like brushed metal. When he caught James looking, Qrow winked again, then turned and left the ballroom.

James couldn’t shake the itch between his shoulders at the man, nor at his arrogance and his posturing. Qrow wanted to talk about putting up appearances? No man could be that drunk and walk in a straight line. He was faking his intoxication.

But why?

“Is everything all right?” asked Glynda, taking a cupcake from Pyrrha.

James turned to Glynda and nodded. “Fine, just tired.”

Glynda didn’t look like she believed him. But then, James didn’t believe himself, either.

* * *

 

Once a month, and sometimes more often, the founding members of the Guild gathered together in order to discuss their current and future endeavours. Rarely, the Wizard joined these meetings, but more often James was called into their room on the Beacon, a revolving space station that watched over the planet from above.

Today was one of those days. James found himself standing just inside the Wizard’s room, his hands clasped behind his back and his metal coating preventing any minute expression from penetrating the silence.

“Wizard, you wanted to speak with me?” asked James.

The Wizard’s desk chair turned around, revealing them. Their cloak had its hood up today, the hat perched on the desk instead of on their head. The only part of their face James could make out were their glowing green eyes.

“Salem is growing stronger with each passing day,” said the Wizard, their voice quiet but filling the room all the same. “The Guild may yet prove to have the power to defeat her, but not the connections nor the knowledge to begin such an endeavour.”

James nodded, flexing his hands. “Our connection network expands even as we speak,” he said. “In time we will have everything we need.”

“Yes, time,” murmured the Wizard. They turned their chair slightly away from James and leaned back on it, fingers steepled in front of them. “I’m afraid _that_ is something we are quickly running out of.”

“What do we want me to do?” asked James. He furrowed his brow. The Wizard was always distant, but they seemed more so today. He wondered if something had happened. To Penny, perhaps. But no, James had seen her talking to Hummingbird and Blunderbuss earlier. “What do you need?”

“Nevermore.”

The single world hung between them, infinite in its vastness. James swallowed hard. There was no use licking his lips, they were covered, it would have no effect. That didn’t stop him from wanting to.

“The renegade,” said James. It wasn’t a question.

The Wizard sighed and turned back to James. “He could be of use to us.”

“Or he’ll steal our secrets and sell them to the highest bidder,” said James. The Wizard’s head tilted to one side, their version of an eyebrow raise.

“Nevermore is a hero, General Steel,” said the Wizard. Their voice trailed along James’ shoulders and made him shiver involuntarily. “A renegade, but a hero. If he were in the Guild, we could accomplish a great deal more.”

James bit back a sigh. The Wizard didn’t spend enough time on Earth to know enough about Nevermore and his foolish, brutal pursuits of his own twisted sense of justice.

“Tell me, General,” said the Wizard. “Have you ever met Nevermore?”

James faltered. “No,” he admitted.

“Have you ever seen him? Or his work?” asked the Wizard.

James shrunk in on himself a bit. “No,” he said. “I haven’t.”

The Wizard hummed, glowing eyes glittering in the dark expanse of their hood. “Perhaps you should, before you pass judgement.”

James nodded, resigned. “Yes, Wizard.”

The Wizard leaned forward on their desk, elbows propped on the glass surface and hands folded in front of their hidden face. “I am tasking you with recruiting Nevermore to the Guild. Have him join before the spring. I believe that is when Salem will make her next large scale move against the Guild.”

James nodded. “Yes, Wizard.”

“That will be all, General.”

James turned on his heel and left the office, lips pressed tightly together and brow furrowed. He was grateful for his metal coating mask.

As he walked down the hall of the Beacon, he tapped the metal band on his wrist, above his covered glove. A holographic blue screen floated above the band. He tapped at a few folders, pulling up the, admittedly very short, file on Nevermore.

The Wizard wanted Nevermore, so James would find him. Now, how on Earth was he going to track down this enigma of a renegade?

* * *

 

His answer came two nights later, when he was on patrol at the docks of Atlas. He’d been investigating a lead to Taurus’ position, when he spotted a single black feather float down from above him. Normally, this wouldn’t have drawn his attention, but with Nevermore on his mind, James took a closer glance at the feather.

He let his gaze trail upward to the shipping container just in front of him. A shadowy figure stood atop it, cape billowing like wings and framed by the moon behind him.

“Hello, General,” came a low, raspy voice from the figure. It was that voice, coupled with his studying of the file, which betrayed the figure’s identity.

James narrowed his eyes. “Nevermore, I presume?”

There was a chuckle, and then the man was leaping off the container with a deft forward flip. He dropped to the ground in front of James and straightened. His black cowl covered everything just above his upper lip and had a beak-like shape to it. The lenses of the mask were dark red and glowed faintly. The cowl went into a long, feathered cape, which hung just above his knees, and the rest of his outfit was form fitting and black, obviously a padded, Kevlar mesh.

“Heard you were looking for me,” drawled Nevermore, head cocked slightly to one side. He grinned up at James, leaning forward slightly. “So, I’m here.”

James nodded. “The Guild wants to recruit you.”

Even with his cowl and lenses, James knew Nevermore had rolled his eyes – if only because the man’s exaggerated head roll accented the slight shift in his cowl.

“The Guild, of course,” said Nevermore. “Tell your Wizard that I want nothing to do with you high and mighty _superheroes_.” He said the word like a curse, a slight sneer curling his lip.

Nevermore turned and walked off, his movements sharp with a purpose that James didn’t know. With a sigh, James followed after him. He wasn’t giving up that easily, even if he wanted to.

“Look,” said James. “We’re not as bad as you think. The Guild exists to ensure that we work as efficiently as possible. Not to limit us as individuals, but to strengthen us as one, cohesive unit.”

Nevermore snorted. “Oh, you have a speech. How _grand._ ”

“What are you doing in my city, anyway?” asked James, switching topics before he said something he shouldn’t.

“Your city?” echoed Nevermore, the annoyance in his voice quickly replaced with amusement. “What happened to teamwork and unity?”

James stepped in front of Nevermore and smirked, letting himself loom. “I believe in teamwork with my teammates. But you’re not Guild, are you?”

A moment of silence, then Nevermore was chuckling. “Oh, oh I _like_ you.” He gestured with one, gloved hand, and James saw the retractable talons sewn into the top of his glove. “Come on, I’ll show you, just for that.”

James followed Nevermore, half a step behind because he wasn’t quite sure where they were going. Nevermore led him through the maze of shipping containers, some stacked four or five tall, and to an area covered in ash and scorch marks. James frowned. Scorch marks on concrete and steel? Now there was something you didn’t see every day.

“Who did this?” asked James as they approached.

Nevermore shrugged. “No idea,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to find out. This is the third of these sites from the Anomaly in the last month.”

“Anomaly?” echoed James. “You think that’s what did this?”

“Based on the scorch marks, yes,” said Nevermore. He crouched in front of one of the marks and ran his gloved fingers across it. “They have to be man-made, but based on my research, nothing other than an Anomaly matches up.”

James circled the small area, scanning the marks on the containers. It looked like a scuffle had occurred. There were drag marks where someone had been pulled away from the fight. James let his eyes follow them, lips pressed together. “So, incineration? Pyrokinesis? Lightning?” offered James.

“Ash, by the looks of it,” said Nevermore. James turned back toward him. “Trust me, I’ve seen the other two.”

“They look like this?” asked James.

Nevermore shook his head and straightened, dusting off his hands. “Not even close. The first one was glass – a lot of it. Some melted, some shattered, all of it in places it couldn’t get without some serious firepower behind it.”

Glass? James frowned. A pressure based explosion from fire could do that, and the heat would have melted some of it too. “And the second?” asked James.

Nevermore looked at him, and there was something distant and haunted in that lensed gaze. “You ever seen skeletons, General, real ones? Scorches on the bone and things carved into them?”

“No,” said James, his voice soft.

Nevermore gave a low chuckle. “Pray you never do,” he said.

James wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. He knew of violence and bloodshed, of the deaths that happened when they didn’t act fast enough. He’d seen the bodies, heard their cries. But skeletons? Charred skeletons? That was something he hadn’t yet encountered.

He wondered, his face pinched, who this Anomaly was, and what they were doing in Atlas. An incineration based Anomaly was unheard of. Whoever this person was, they were powerful. Powerful enough that James knew he had to get the Guild involved. Perhaps the Wizard would know.

“So,” said Nevermore, collecting a sample of the ash in a small tube. “What do you think, one Anomaly or two? Or second level?”

James started, the words pulling him out of his musing. “I wouldn’t count on second-level, they’re incredibly rare.” There was one other thing, which was even rarer, which James didn’t even give thought to. It was impossible.

Nevermore snorted. “True enough,” he agreed, a dry tone to his voice that made James narrow his eyes.

James continued, “I’d say if they’re consistent, it has to be one, but that glass explosion has me wondering. Don’t suppose you have pictures?”

“I do,” said Nevermore. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Not on me. I’d have to take a look again. Has to be one Anomaly, I think. It’s too… meticulous, even for teamwork.”

James nodded. Before he could respond, his wrist band went off and White Queen appeared in a small holograph above his wrist.

“Steel, we need you uptown, it appears the White Fang is making a move against the First Royal Bank of Atlas,” said White Queen.

James nodded. “Be right there,” he said. Her hologram disappeared and James turned his attention to Nevermore, who had his head cocked. “Looks like this is where we part ways. Unless…”

Nevermore snorted. “Nah, I’m good. Have fun with your girlfriend,” he said, waving James off.

“She’s not…” The wrist band beeped again and James sighed. He gave a two-fingered salute to Nevermore and ran back toward his car. Looks like it was time to see what the rest of the White Fang was up to.

* * *

 

By the time James got uptown, the White Fang had the entire bank on lockdown. Unfortunately, most of the Guild was busy with other problems –a typhoon in Haiti, and a terrorist attack in Italy – which left James working with the White Queen and Snow Pea, who was a more recent addition to the Guild.

“What’s the situation?” asked James, falling into place just behind White Queen and Snow Pea.

“Fourteen hostages, sir, and eight operatives,” said Snow Pea. She snapped a salute to James, squaring her heels and shoulders. “Orders?”

James glanced at White Queen over Snow Pea’s shoulder, and caught the woman rolling her eyes good-naturedly. Snow Pea was an excellent hero, but she wasn’t particularly strong at improvisation. Something to work on, next time team training exercises came up.

“We need eyes on the inside. I want to know what we’re dealing with before we make any moves,” said James. His gaze went from the bank, which had police officers watching it from behind their cars, to White Queen and Snow Pea. “Cameras?” he asked.

“All down,” said White Queen. “We’re flying blind.”

 _Flying._ “What about vents? External air systems?” asked James.

“We’d need blueprints,” said White Queen.

“Police have them,” said Snow Pea. “I’ll go get them.” She turned on one heel and marched over to the police chief, gesticulating widely.

Turning his attention back to the bank, James ran his eyes over it for anything he could find on the surface. One of the benefits of having an engineering degree – he tended to spot these things before the rest of his team. On the roof he could see a ventilation system container. From experience, he knew those typically led into the vents, which also led inside. If the blueprints matched up, they had an in.

Snow Pea came back over, her Scroll – their palm sized communicators with holographic projectors – in one hand. The image above it portrayed the blueprints of the bank. James scanned it and found the ventilation system he’d noticed. Sure enough, it led inside.

“All right,” said James. He turned and gestured to the ventilation system. “Those vents go right to the vault and to the main room. They should get us all the ears we need.” He looked to Snow Pea. “Snow Pea, you’re up.”

She nodded and handed her Scroll to White Queen, who studied it closely. Then, Snow Pea clapped her hands together, elbows out, just below her chin. She closed her eyes and rested her index fingers together, folding the rest of her fingers down.

As James watched, Snow Pea began to glow. A small, semi-transparent bird appeared on her shoulder. Its blue eyes glowed and it gave off a faint, icy mist. Snow Pea opened her own eyes, and even behind her mask, James could see they were glowing icy blue as well.

“Fly,” she commanded. The bird shot into the air and flew toward the ventilation system, leaving a wispy trail of icy sparkles behind it that quickly faded.

The bird disappeared into the vents. James let his gaze trail back to Snow Pea, whose glowing eyes were flicking back and forth behind her mask.

After a minute, she said, “I have visual confirmation of the hostages.”

“Good,” said James. “Openings?”

Snow Pea tilted her head to one side. “Two. The window on the second floor of the offices is open and unguarded, as the door to the office is shut.” Her eyes narrowed. “There is also a shaft coming up from…” She paused. “General, I believe they’re going to blow the vault from the sewers.”

“Good work, Snow Pea,” said James. “Keep your eyes open and keep us informed.” He took the Scroll from White Queen and pressed it into Snow Pea’s hands. “White Queen, you take the office entrance, I’ll head into the sewers and stop that explosion.”

Both Snow Pea and White Queen nodded. White Queen headed for the alleyway next to the bank and James headed for the sewer entrance down the block.

He dropped down into the tunnels – and, really, why were they so tall? – and headed for the bank, based on the city map he had on his wristband. That, combined with the blueprints he’d copied over, allowed him to pinpoint exactly where the bomb should have been.

As he turned a corner, a handful of voices drifted back to him. Guards for the explosion, no doubt. Take the building, open the vault, and blow into the sewers in order to make a clean get-away. Simple and effective.

But why were they stealing to begin with? It didn’t make sense. The White Fang wasn’t a band of thieves, they were terrorists. Radical Faunus activists who’d been swept away by the maliciously charismatic Adam Taurus, an Anomaly whose words could walk even the most stubborn person off the roof of a skyscraper.

James was grateful he’d never run into Taurus, if he was being honest. He knew Hummingbird and Blunderbuss had, and neither one had walked away unscathed. Hummingbird still flinched when anyone said Taurus’s name.

Peering around the corner, James spotted roughly half a dozen people surrounding a cylindrical device. Presumably, that was the bomb. As he peered closer, he noted the red White Fang symbols each one hand on their shoulder – whether covered or not – and the animalistic features each person had. A pair of black ears on one woman, a set of antlers on a man, and a few more besides.

James sighed inwardly. The White Fang was a powerful Faunus activism group. If they hadn’t turned to terrorism when they had, the Guild would have partnered with them. But then, it wasn’t their fault. The government had too long ignored the trials and tribulations of its Faunus citizens, and James wasn’t innocent either. His Faunus activism had been weak compared to the rest, before all this had gone south.

He still blamed Taurus for their extremism though. If not for his Anomaly, the White Fang never would have gone this far.

There was no way he was going in unnoticed. He was too big and the sewers weren’t _that_ absurdly spacious, nor did they have enough conveniently placed drainage pipes to block their view of him coming.

His only hope was that they wouldn’t blow the bomb while they were still in the blast radius, and with Taurus behind this, even that wasn’t a guarantee.

James took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and rounded the corner. Immediately all eyes were on him.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” said James, using his best authoritative voice. “Your choice.”

The cat girl stepped forward, her dark skin making the white and red stylized mask she wore stand out. She drew a katana from her back – why were they always katanas? – and charged at him.

James side-stepped the first swing, ducked back from the second. Twisted and caught her arm. Threw her across the sewer without much real force. The others were working around the bomb. A light appeared at the top. James grit his teeth. They were going to blow it, with or without him here. He had to find a way to stop it.

Two more of them split off and came at James. The three circled, the girl obviously leading them. Without seeing her face, James couldn’t place her age, but she was _young._ Short and thin in a way that wasn’t healthy, and her cheeks were hollow.

God, she couldn’t be any older than Pyrrha. James didn’t want to hurt a child.

He spun, caught the two adults that were fighting. Tossed them into the sewer walls. One of them slumped. The other shook it off. The girl attacked again, her katana slicing closer and closer to James. He danced backward. Spun. Caught her across the shoulders and she dropped into the run-off water at their feet.

The one who came back got James in the side. Taser. Shit. Lightning snapped up his spine, electrifying his metal half.

The girl screamed, catching the tail end of the shockwave. James swore, grabbed the guy by the throat and punched him low in the gut. He went down, hard. Stayed down this time.

Two more split off from the bomb, leaving only one person on it. The girl caught up. She spat blood into the run water all around them. Snarled.

“Kill him,” said the girl. And James sucked in a breath. She _sounded_ as young as Pyrrha. “Adam’s orders.”

The two came at James as one, drawing small blades. The blades mostly glinted off his metal coating. He swung at them, pulling his punches so he wouldn’t cause permanent damage. _Don’t hurt them, just drop them_ , he told himself. He didn’t know if he could disable the bomb, they needed to be able to get out of here.

The one with fangs swung low. The one with claws swung high. Fangs clipped his metal coating hard enough for James to feel it. He swore. Kicked. Leaped back from Claws. Fangs got him in the shoulder. Then the back. James spun, round-housed. Fangs went into the wall. Slumped. James cursed. Too hard. Too hard.

Claws swore and drove himself into James’ gut. James stumbled back a few steps, grabbed Claws by the shoulders, and drove him into the wall. Slammed him into the wall hard enough that Claws let go. Alertness shot up his spine. He spun, diving right, just in time for the girl’s - Cat’s - sword to drive into the sewer wall where his head had been a moment before.

Straightening out, he saw Cat pull the sword from the sewer wall and take a defensive stance. Then, to James’ shock, the edges of the sword lit up purple with Dust.

_Oh no._

He saw the purple glow of the Dust in the slits of the mask, knew her eyes were glowing as well.

“Set up the bomb,” snapped Cat to the person behind her. “I’ll handle him.” She barred her lips into a snarl. The person on the bomb nodded and the second of five rings lit up. James grit his teeth.

_Damnit._

Dust. Glowing eyes. _Emancipated teenage girl._ James needed to stop the girl, stop the bomb, and keep damages to a minimum. All without hurting her. Well, let it never be said that he didn’t like a challenge.

The girl charged, snarling, and James sidestepped her, slammed her between the shoulders. She stumbled, planted one hand, spun. Back to him, faster than fast. Leaped. He swung at her side. She jerked back, an afterimage hanging in the air for a split second. James started. Stumbled. Recovered and straightened.

_Anomaly._

James and Cat twirled around one another, he drew his Taser, flipping it around so that he couldn’t accidentally shock her, and the sound of metal on metal rang against the sewer pipes. Cat back-flipped and twisted, jerking and shaking with every blow that James landed. He pulled his punches and his kicks, but even then he was still hurting her. She was too tired, too desperate, and the Dust in her veins wouldn’t allow her to stop.

Or was that Taurus? He didn’t know. Wished he did.

The third ring on the bomb lit up. James cursed under his breath and caught the sword across his Taser. The Taser cracked in half and he used her stumbling momentum to grab the hilt and yank it from her hands. He tossed it into the water, watching with no small amount of satisfaction as the glow in her mask and around the sword vanished.

“Stay down,” warned James. The fourth ring lit up. Cat got back up and lunged at him. James side stepped her, then side stepped her again. Grabbed her around the middle and tossed her into the water again, ten feet back.

He turned and tapped his wristband, syncing it to any nearby wireless signal. It caught the bomb’s detonator and he started the decoding sequence he’d finalized last week. The guy at the bomb turned around as James lunged at him. He grabbed the guy, tossed him away from the bomb, and grabbed the scarf off one of the fallen White Fang members.

He used the scarf to tie the guy’s hands together. All that took about six seconds, and in that time, the bomb began to blink. James cursed, looked over his shoulder, saw that the girl was still on her back, and frowned.

He hadn’t hurt her too badly, had he?

First, the bomb. He pulled the small disc from his wrist band and put it on the bomb, watching as a holographic screen appeared above it. Decoding was difficult, but fast – he knew the model, even if it was heavily modified. Seismic bomb, heavy enough to drop not only the vault floor above, but collapse a good portion of the bank itself. No survivors in the bank. How many in the sewers?

What was Taurus planning? This wasn’t his style.

“I’m not done with you,” said the girl from behind him. Her words were broken by a cough that was wet with blood. He looked back, flicking the automatic decoders on, just as she went to pick up her sword. She stumbled, dropped to her knees, and he felt a pang of sympathy.

She was a child. This wasn’t her war.

 _“Hostages are out of the bank,”_ said White Queen over the coms.

 _“I have visual confirmation that the police are taking White Fang into custody,”_ came Snow Pea’s voice as well. _“General, do you have the bomb?”_

Behind him, the bomb deactivated with a beep. The girl fell again as she tried to stand. James crossed the wet sewer, wading through the inch of run-off water, and picked up her sword. It folded in half as he picked it up. The Dust canister was empty.

 _“Steel_ ,” came White Queen’s voice.

“Bomb is down, so are the members in the sewers,” said James. “Send the police for clean-up.”

 _“Yes, sir,”_ said Snow Pea. He turned off his com and held out a hand to the girl.

“Stop,” he said. “You’re done.”

“No, I’m not,” said the girl. She got up, stumbled, and fainted. James caught her as she fell and sighed.

Too young for a war that wasn’t hers to fight.

What was Taurus’ game?

The police collected the five White Fang members and James carried the girl up to the ambulance. He kept the sword, hung it across his back with her sheath. In the ambulance, they took off the girl’s mask and her eyes fluttered for a moment. Gold eyes, edged with purple latticing in the sclera and around her eyes from the Dust.

She passed out then completely, and the exhaustion and starvation was so evident in her face that James’ heart hurt.

The ambulance closed and only Snow Pea, White Queen, and General Steel were left in the area alongside the police and investigators.

“That isn’t right,” murmured James. “Why is a child fighting in this war?”

White Queen rested a hand on his shoulder. “You know the White Fang is extremists, Steel.”

“I do,” agreed James. “I just didn’t realize Taurus would go this… _far._ This isn’t his usual game. Why the girl? Why was she in command here?”

White Queen was silent for long enough that James turned to look at her. She sighed. “You don’t know.” It wasn’t a question.

White Queen looked up at him, eyes purple behind her mask. James was reminded of the Faunus girl. Of her desperation to attack him. Of the Dust that lit up her veins in the sewer.

“Taurus keeps pets, Steel,” said White Queen. And at her words, James felt the bottom of his stomach drop out.

“No,” he breathed. White Queen nodded. James turned and watched the ambulance as it drove away.

There had to be a way to save her.

* * *

 

A week later, James still didn’t have any answers, but he couldn’t focus on that today. Today was the opening of the new children’s ward at Atlas General Hospital, and James was there to cut the ribbon, as he’d donated the money for the ward. Named, not for him, but for an old, deceased, friend of his.

He stood on the podium with Mayor Rita, who was waving to those below them taking pictures. James spotted an unfortunately familiar face amongst the photographers – Qrow Branwen. He sighed inwardly, keeping his expression friendly and reserved.

The ribbon was cut, his speech given, and James mingled with the reporters who were there to ask questions. His statements were short, but sincere, and he kept them varied enough that the various news outlets would be satisfied. No need to cause strife between the networks, after all. They all deserved their own statement.

“You put on quite the show,” said Qrow. James turned to see the man with his thumbs in his pockets, smirking. He smelled faintly of whiskey, and there were bags under his eyes. James managed his best professional smile.

“I aim to please,” said James, easily. “Here to take pictures?”

“Oh yeah, taking tons,” said Qrow. The camera hung around his neck.

James raised an eyebrow. “You’re not Atlas Unlimited’s only photographer, are you?” he asked.

Qrow grinned, all teeth. “Nah, but I got the best pictures AU ever got of you at that gala, so.” Qrow shrugged, head cocked to one side.

He’d taken pictures at the gala? James hadn’t noticed. Perhaps when he was dancing with Pyrrha? He hadn’t had a chance to look at the latest issue of AU, the one that covered his gala. He’d have to look when he got home.

“I see,” said James, slowly. “Have you taken any today? I could get the mayor…”

“Nah,” said Qrow, waving him off. “I got what I needed. See you ‘round, Jimmy.” Qrow turned and walked off, one hand raised.

James frowned. “It’s James!” he called back, and Qrow’s answering laughter tightened the corners of his eyes.

Another enigma, though one not nearly as dangerous as Taurus. James sighed and went back to speaking with reporters. Another mystery for another day.

* * *

 

A few days later, up in the Beacon, James was looking over recent White Fang activity. Most of their crimes were regular activity for them – protests, vandalism, thievery of questionable products from Schnee Corp (James tended to ignore that last one) – but there were a handful – maybe six or seven in as many months – that just didn’t add up. They didn’t fit the White Fang’s motives, nor what James knew of Taurus.

It just didn’t make any sense, no matter how he looked at it. And why had the White Fang been willing to sacrifice their own for a bank robbery? Especially such an ill-planned one in broad daylight?

“General Steel?” The soft, high-pitched voice came from the entrance to the room. James looked up to see Penny, her green eyes glowing softly and her red hair hanging in her face. She smoothed it back as he smiled at her, her grey dress a little dull against the vibrance of her eyes.

“Penny,” said James. “Come in, come in.”

Penny stepped into the room, fidgeting. “Am I interrupting your work?” she asked.

“Not at all,” said James. He tapped the console and all the screens vanished, leaving the windowed view of the starry space beyond and Earth, far below. He turned toward her, aware that his metal coating hid most of the softness in his eyes. “What can I do for you?”

Penny rubbed her arm. Her glowing eyes darted back and forth, the glow flickering in and out of view even as she refused to look at him. “You said next time you were on the Beacon, you’d bring me pictures of Earth,” she said, quietly.

James blinked, casting his mind back to that conversation. “Yes, it would appear I did.” He dug out his Scroll – he had little use for it, usually his wristbands did all the work of a Scroll – and rested it against the console, calling up the holos for all the images he had taken for Penny. He’d been sure to take pictures as well as gather some from friends and colleagues, just to be sure they were all authentic.

Her smile growing wide again, Penny walked between the holo screens, the glow of her eyes going luminescent as she observed each picture. One was of an ocean at sunrise, one was of a couple of puppies playing in a park. White Queen had gotten a picture of snow for him, up in Northern Canada.

“It’s beautiful,” breathed Penny. “All of Earth is so beautiful.” She reached out, fingers hesitating just above one of the images. “What does it feel like?”

James leaned against the console, head tilted to one side. “Snow? It’s… cold. And soft. Very wet.” It was autumn, down in Atlas, and the leaves were slowly changing colour despite the urban environment. “It will be snowing where I am within the next two months.”

“Will you take more pictures?” asked Penny. “And of autumn as well?” She turned to face him, smile bright, and James felt himself falter.

“How about I do you one better?” he said. Penny tilted her head to one side. “I have a charity gala tonight – for veterans. It’s still early, why don’t you come to Earth with me? We’ll get you a dress and I’ll take you around Atlas.”

Penny lit up like a Christmas tree – almost literally, in fact. Her glowing eyes and glowing nails and glowing lines around her face spiralled up around her in vivid green. “That would be spectacular!” she said. Then she faltered as well. “But what about the Wizard? They will never agree.”

“Leave your father to me, Penny,” said James. “First, let’s sort out one other thing.” Penny looked up just as James unhooked his wrist bands. The metal coating slid off his body and back into the bands, leaving him standing there in the dress uniform he’d created for General Steel.

“General Steel?” said Penny, head cocked to one side and brow furrowed.

“My name is James Ironwood,” said James with an easy smile. “You’ll need to know that if we’re down on Earth together.”

Penny gaped up at him, her eyes shining and her mouth dropped open. “You’re trusting me with your _secret identity?_ ” she whispered, hands flying to her face. “Oh my gosh!”

He nodded. “Let me deal with the Wizard, you go pick out your favourite dress to wear in Atlas,” he said. Penny snapped him a clean salute and skipped out of the room. Once she was gone, James sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He hooked his wristbands back on and let the metal slide across his body.

No need to let the Wizard see more than James wanted them to.

* * *

 

“I’m taking Penny down to Earth,” said James. The Wizard did not turn in their chair, but instead continued to gaze out the window and toward the shattered moon. If James couldn’t see their reflection in said window, he wouldn’t have thought they were even there. “I have a gala tonight and I think she would benefit from being around new people – and some her own age.”

“Toddlers?” James couldn’t tell if the Wizard was joking or not. He guessed not.

“No,” said James. “Preteens. Penny may have only been of this world for two years, but she is eleven years old. You said it yourself last month – her aging has decelerated back to the normal rate. She needs to make friends, Wizard, she can’t stay up here forever.”

The Wizard hummed. “And if something happens to her?”

“It won’t. I’ll keep her safe,” said James, his right fist clenched at his side.

“For your sake, I hope so,” said the Wizard. They gave a dismissive wave of their hand and James nodded, leaving the room slightly more bristled than when he’d entered.

Penny was waiting out in the hall, leaning against the wall with her hands folded behind her back and her head cocked slightly to one side.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. She wore a yellow sundress, with a flowery hairband sitting just behind her bangs. She’d polished the buckles of her shoes as well and her body practically vibrated with excitement.

“Everything is perfect,” said James. He walked down the hall, Penny falling into line beside him, and he slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s head down to Earth. There’s a lot I want to show you before the day is over.”

“Sounds spec _ta_ cular,” said Penny, snapping a salute. James laughed, the sound warm and ringing in the stark, metal hallway.

* * *

 

The streets of Atlas were bright that afternoon and James thought the weather itself had blessed him today. Penny was beside him, her hand in his left one, her eyes bright, but not glowing, as she took in everything around them.

People bustled from place to place, shops spilled out lights and colours into the streets with their displays, and the sweet smell of a handful of restaurants spilled into the area as well. All in all, it was the perfect place to take Penny for her first venture onto Earth. That was, of course, assuming she didn’t get overwhelmed.

“Earth is more beautiful than I ever imagined,” said Penny. “I could stay here forever.” She paused, shoulders tensing, and looked up at James with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry,” said James, winking. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

Penny giggled, one hand over her mouth, and tugged James toward a display of pretty dresses. Most of them were much too large for Penny, but there were a few dresses for girls about her age in the store itself.

“I could stay here all day,” she whispered into the glass, one hand pressed flat against it.

James smiled. “I have a better idea. How about we go get a late lunch, then I take you dress shopping for my veteran’s ball tonight? You can be my plus one.”

With her eyes sparkling in her reflection, Penny said, “Sounds fantastic.”

James led Penny to an old hole-in-the-wall restaurant he was familiar with. A locally owned place that sold almost a hundred kinds of noodles and noodle dishes. Penny ended up getting the linguine – she loved cheese – and James got pad thai with chicken.

They traded silly jokes and scientific facts as they ate. And while Penny started out very tense, she slowly grew more and more relaxed. She babbled on about ecosystems and animal kingdoms, about connections and weather systems and transportation networks. James threw in where he could, laughing alongside her and offering her insights about the workings of Atlas.

“Is it true the sewers are seven feet tall?” asked Penny, as James paid for their meal.

“Yes, yes it is,” said James.

Penny wrinkled her nose. “Why?”

“Honestly?” said James. She nodded. “I have no idea.”

Penny was still giggling as they left the restaurant and headed toward one of James’ favourite dress stores. He’d come there a few times with Pyrrha in the past, usually when neither her parents nor the Vasilias’ were around to take her shopping in Atlas.

Which, when James stopped to think about it, was far too often for his liking.

“Did you have a colour in mind?” asked James, holding the door open for Penny as they walked into the store together.

She hummed thoughtfully, tapping her index finger against her lips as though it was the most important question she’d ever been asked. “Green,” she declared, striking that finger into the air, but not above her head. “I like green.”

“Green it is,” said James. One of the tailors was watching them and James nodded. “How soon can you alter a dress for my friend, here?” he asked.

“About half an hour if she stays here,” said the tailor. “Depending on the dress, of course.”

James smiled. “Thank you, that’ll be perfect. We have a gala to go to tonight. This one is going to be the belle of the ball.”

Penny giggled and drifted away from James, her eyes on a layered light green dress that hung on one of the mannequins.

“Do you have a name?” asked James, smiling at Penny.

“Mallow,” said the man, sticking out his hand. His hair was streaked purple, James noticed. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ironwood.”

Taking his hand, James chuckled. “I suppose I should have expected that you’d know me, shouldn’t I?” He glanced back over to Penny as Mallow headed through a door – probably to get his tools.

“What do you think?” asked James. Penny had moved on to a bubble skirt dress, this one in a dark green. Her fingers were on the lacy fabric of another dress, which was layered with white and a blueish green.

“I’m not sure which one I want,” said Penny, softly. “They’re all so pretty.”

James chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Well, if it makes you feel better, I’d be happy to buy you more, another day.”

Penny stared, eyes bright and flickering with their half-hidden glow temporarily. “Really?” she whispered.

“Really,” said James, nodding.

Penny lit up, quite literally, and James was glad that Mallow hadn’t returned yet, and threw her arms around James’ waist. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” He patted her hair, smiling.

“You are very welcome,” he said. “Now, why don’t we find you a dress?”

Penny gave him a sharp salute, grinning, and went back to touching all the dresses she could get her hands on. James watched on, offering suggestions as Penny darted around. A fond smile adorned his face the entire time, and his chest was tight with emotions he couldn’t place.

* * *

 

There were already people at the Veteran’s Ball when Penny and James arrived. That was normal, for James, he often ended up coming late to his own balls – unfortunate, but true – but Penny seemed a bit upset about it.

“We’re fine,” said James. “I promise. No one expects me to be there to greet the first guests.”

Penny nodded and smoothed down the front of her dress. She’d gone for a soft green number with white accents – layered in such a way that in lifted up whenever she spun around too quickly. She loved it. James was wearing a charcoal grey suit with navy blue accents – a favourite of his.

He led Penny into the party, one hand on her shoulder. She gasped, soft, as they entered the ballroom of James’ house. It was easily one of his best parties of the year – all soft music and softer colours, with the lights still banishing the darkness to the outside.

The band was playing a languid song, something well suited to a waltz without actually sounding much like a traditional one. Too many guitars, for one.

“This is so beautiful,” said Penny, softly. She looked up at James, and the silver glitter she’d requested James put around her eyes sparkled green with her excitement.

It was a good trick, to hide the glow.

There was a snort and James looked up to see Qrow Branwen standing in front of him, camera around his neck and bowtie askew. James fought the urge to straighten it. If the man wanted to be rumpled, he could be rumpled. Even if James _hated_ rumpled.

“So, what, you taking in charity cases now?” asked Qrow, gesturing to Penny with a champagne flute. He snorted. “That’s gotta be good for PR.”

James bristled, already stepping forward and shifting into an offensive stance. _How dare he!_ Penny whimpered, stepping back. All semblance of glow from her glitter faded and James felt his heart pang. But before he could decide what to do first – deck Qrow or comfort Penny – the decision was made for him. A blond man stepped back and slugged Qrow across the side of the face, sending him stumbling and his champagne flute shattering on the floor.

People stared. James waved them off as best he could.

“What the he- _ck_ -” James caught the stumble as the man kept himself from swearing. “-are you doing?” snapped the man. His gaze snapped around to James and Penny. “I’m so sorry about _him_ , he has _no manners_.” The last words were a hiss, directed at Qrow, who was rubbing his slowly purpling jaw.

James wondered what they were. Brothers? Lovers? Something, anyway.

“I have plenty of manners,” snapped Qrow.

The blond man pointed at the balcony. “ _Get_.” Qrow waved him off and stalked away, grumbling under his breath. The man turned toward James and sighed. “Again, I am so sorry. I’m Taiyang.” He stuck out his hand and realization dawned. This man was one of the veterans.

“You were a captain,” said James, taking his hand. “I remember hearing about you, back when I was doing more active work with the military. Pleasure to meet you.”

“And you as well, Mr. Ironwood,” said Taiyang.

James smiled. “Please, call me James.”

Taiyang quirked an eyebrow and stuffed his hands in his pants’ pockets – black pants, black blazer, dark grey turtleneck. “Sure, call me Tai then.” A pause. “Not Tai Tai though.”

With raised eyebrow, James gave a nod. “Of course. Why would I…?” He trailed off, eyes going to Qrow, who was talking to a couple of girls. “Qrow?” he guessed.

“All the time,” muttered Taiyang, shoulders slumping in resignation.

One of the girls broke off from Qrow – the shorter of the two – and walked over to the three, grinning broadly.

“Hey, Dad,” she said, bouncing on her feet. She turned her attention to Penny. “Hi there, I’m Ruby, who’re you?”

Penny smiled, shy, her silver glitter flickering green. “I’m Penny,” she said. She stepped forward, holding out her hand. Ruby shook it, grinning. “Pleased to you.”

“You too!” said Ruby. “Dad didn’t think there’d be any other kids here except for me and Yang. Hey, you wanna meet my big sister? She’s _so cool_.” The last words were barely a whisper, spoken between cupped hands and narrowed eyes.

James smiled and caught Taiyang doing the same.

“May I?” asked Penny, looking up at James with wide and hopeful eyes, so bright and innocent. Untouched by the war of the Wizard despite…

Well. Despite.

James shook it off internally and smiled at her. “Of course, Penny. Go, have fun. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Taking Penny’s hand, Ruby led her away, babbling on about how _totally awesome_ her big sister was. James looked back at Taiyang, one eyebrow raised.

“Exuberant,” he commented.

Taiyang laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. The slight shift revealed a burn scar on his wrist. “She is. Just like her mother.”

James nodded, unsure if he should ask. He knew about Taiyang, vaguely, in that way you knew about war veterans from troops you used to supply. The man had lost his wife and a close friend – though the sources were unclear about the last part – years ago. And James had wondered, idly, from time to time, how the man had been doing.

Seeing the man before him, over a decade since he’d last seen him on the military base in Haven, made him feel more than a little guilty.

“I’m going to go talk to him,” said Taiyang with a sigh. “I’ll be right back with an apology.”

“That’s not necessary,” said James, but Taiyang was already crossing the ballroom.

James stood, feeling strangely awkward at his own gala, as he watched the two men argue, just out of earshot. It was an argument filled with gesturing hands and red faces, with exaggerated facial expressions and narrowed eyes. James wandered over to the buffet table, biting the inside of his cheek.

Of course he _wanted_ an apology, but not a forced one. Qrow Branwen struck him as a renegade, a man that couldn’t be forced to do anything he didn’t want to. It was… familiar. Though James couldn’t place why.

He picked up a champagne flute and sipped at it, almost absently, letting his gaze trail through the ballroom. He spotted Penny and Ruby, who seemed to be introducing themselves to Neptune, Sun, and Pyrrha. Good, thought James with a smile, at least they had people their own age to spend the night with.

His gaze also found Glynda, who smiled at him, eyes warm as she crossed the space between them on her click-clacking heels.

“Problem?” she asked, her gaze sliding over to Qrow and Taiyang, who were still in a frantic and hushed argument.

“Not at all,” he said. “Just Branwen being his awful self and someone else taking offense.”

Glynda raised an eyebrow. “And that doesn’t count as a problem?” she asked.

“I’ve fought super villains,” said James. “I can handle Qrow Branwen’s mouth.”

Glynda laughed, the sound soft and warm. Private, despite the expansive crowd that lingered all around them. “True,” said Glynda. “That reminds me – speaking of mouths, there’s a reporter outside who wants to talk about your sustainable clothing initiative. Seeing as how we’re _both_ working on it, I was wondering if you would mind if I took that one.”

James raised an eyebrow at Glynda, mirroring her earlier expression. “Is she cute?”

“She’s, that’s, I have no idea…” Glynda trailed off. She sighed. “Incredibly.”

With a soft laugh, James jerked his head toward the door. “Go, I’ve got this covered.”

Glynda flashed him a smile and headed for the door.

“Oh, and Glynda?” James called after her. Glynda turned back, one eyebrow raised. “I expect a name and a phone number.” She groaned, ears turning scarlet, and headed outside. James laughed softly as she left, sipping at his champagne flute.

With all her talk of how easy _he_ was to fluster, it was just as easy to return the favour if you knew her weaknesses. Like cute women.

James turned his attention back to the party just in time for Qrow to come slouching up to him, his thumbs in his pockets and his shoulders low and pulled back. A scowl adorned his features, making his already harsh gaze seem harsher, and his five o’clock shadow seem much darker.

“Yes?” asked James, when Qrow stopped in front of him. He kept his gaze impassive and his voice neutral. Friendliness only seemed to make Qrow bristle, and sharpness only seemed to spur him on. James wasn’t sure _what_ Qrow wanted from him, except, perhaps, some sort of incriminating lie.

“Look, I shouldn’t have called her a charity case, even if I _do_ think that you’d pull something like that,” said Qrow. He shrugged, visibly grinding his teeth. “It ain’t right to say that in front of a kid.”

“It’s not,” agreed James. “Penny is a wonderful friend, and I’m glad to bring her to this party, but she has a father. A damn good one at that.” Even if they _were_ absentee, most of the time, the Wizard had always cared about Penny, in their own way.

Qrow shook his head, one side of his mouth quirked up in disbelief. His eyebrows were slightly raised and his nose was wrinkled. “You really are something else, Jimmy.”

“James.”

“Whatever,” said Qrow. He scoffed. “You’ve got the whole world fooled, thinking you’re some kind of messiah sent down from the heavens to bring them salvation.”

James raised an eyebrow and clenched his flute a little tighter. “That’s a tad dramatic, don’t you think? I never claimed to be any of those things, and most don’t place me on such a pedestal.”

“Really?” asked Qrow, the sarcasm thick on the word. He jerked his chin upward, eyes alight with mirth. “Then what do you think you are? What do you _consider yourself_ , Jimbo?” The dry tone was a mockery to James’ own professional voice, and the nickname was finished with another smirk that was mostly in Qrow’s eyes.

“I’m a man trying to make the world a better place,” said James. He spread his hands, still holding the flute in his left. “No more, no less, Qrow. I have the money, the influence, and the resources to do everything I can for my city. So, why shouldn’t I?” He raised an eyebrow to Qrow. “Why shouldn’t I do my best to make the world a better place?”

Qrow chuckled. “Oh, I’m not saying you can’t.”

“Then what are you saying?” asked James.

“I’m saying,” said Qrow, looking up at him through his bangs. His rusty eyes seemed to glow in the chandelier lighting. “That no one does this much good for no reason. You’re hiding something.”

With a soft chuckle, James shook his head. “I’m on openly gay man with some of the world’s most advanced prosthetics for an arm and a leg,” said James. “What more could I be hiding, Qrow?”

Qrow shrugged, purposely casual. James was beginning to realize that Qrow didn’t do anything without purpose. “Dunno,” said Qrow. “But I’m gonna find out, Jimmy. Whether you want me to or not.”

“Well, when you find out, I invite you to let me know,” said James. He sipped from his champagne. “I’d love to know what secrets I’m keeping even from myself.”

Qrow shook his head and turned away. “You know, I’d be more inclined to think you weren’t hiding something if you didn’t wear long sleeves and that glove wherever you went,” said Qrow. He didn’t turn back around, but he didn’t walk away either.

James pressed his lips together. The world knew he had prosthetics – his arm and at least part of his leg, anyway. But they didn’t know the extent, nor the story. James preferred it that way.

“Just because I’m not ashamed of who I am doesn’t mean I don’t want other people to be comfortable, Qrow,” said James.

Qrow snorted, soft and amused. “So you say,” he said, a touch of that amusement in his voice. And he walked away, leaving James alone in the ballroom once more.

Once Qrow was out of sight, James crossed the ballroom toward Penny, who was watching Sun and Neptune twirl around the dancefloor with practiced ease. Neptune was laughing, a light, airy sound that made the glass in James’ hand tremble a bit. He wondered, idly, if Neptune was an Anomaly. And, if he was, if he even knew.

Sun’s tail was curled around Neptune’s waist, holding them close together only to release on the spins. It was nice to see Faunus in a positive light in his ballroom, especially with how often he fought the more extreme members of the race.

“Dancing is so pretty,” said Penny.

“Have you ever danced?” asked James, taking a spot on the wall next to her.

She shook her head. “No, I never learned.”

James set down his champagne flute and held out his gloved hand to Penny, one eyebrow raised. “Would you like to?” he asked.

With a bright smile, Penny took his hand, and James led her out onto the dancefloor.

Dancing with Penny was different from dancing with Glynda or Pyrrha. Glynda was practiced, and professionally trained, and tended to lead when James didn’t lead strongly enough. Pyrrha, while not trained, had two years of practice under her belt, and James was more than used to dancing with her.

Penny was new to this, like a fawn still growing used to her legs. Her gaze kept flicking to her feet and the shining buckles of her shoes, despite James’ soft assurances that she was doing just fine.

He led her in a simple dance, one that was mostly swaying and twirling, across the dancefloor.

“You’re doing fine,” said James. “Lovely, even.”

Penny smiled at him, her eyes still a little unsure. “I like dancing,” she said. “It is a lot of fun.”

“I like dancing too,” said James. “And you’re a lovely dance partner.”

Penny giggled. As the song drew to a close, James swayed Penny back to the girls against the wall. Pyrrha held out her hand to Penny next, smiling shyly.

“May I have this next dance?” she asked.

Penny giggled again and took Pyrrha’s hand, and she was led out onto the dancefloor once more. Sun and Neptune grabbed Ruby and her sister, dragging them off the wall as well.

For the rest of the evening, James traded conversation with veterans, discussed his improvements to the local veterans’ hospital, and watched the six preteens and teens dance in increasingly varied and hilarious combinations. It was a good night to be in Atlas. And a good night to be James Ironwood.

* * *

 

Her name was Blake Belladonna, and she was refusing to speak. She’d been in police custody for over two weeks now, having spent most of that in protective custody in the hospital.

James had been brought in as the Guild consultant, but the Atlas PD wasn’t having much luck in getting any information from Blake Belladonna – the cat Faunus that James had gone up against in the sewers.

Based on her fingerprints and her name, they’d pulled a file for her, but it was thin – perhaps a page and a half, at most. Birthdate, sex, ethnicity, fingerprints, and a short file on crimes she’d been prosecuted for or suspected of in the last two years.

There’s also been the suspected connection to Adam Taurus and the White Fang, which was now confirmed. That, as well as her new medical records, took the file to almost two pages.

Flimsy and half of it was speculation. James couldn’t help but wonder how that was possible. How did no one know who this girl was? Or where she’d come from?

“She’s fourteen years old,” said James, softly, as he looked over the file. His General Steel exterior made the words lower and more frustrated than they actually were.

The police chief, Brandr, nodded to James. “Yeah, she slipped through the system, General Steel. It happens.”

“More often to Faunus than humans, I’ve noticed,” murmured James.

Brandr scowled. It was slight, mostly hidden, but James saw it nonetheless. “We’re working on remedying that. It’s a bit difficult to strike new legislations and rights for terrorists.”

“The White Fang are the minority, Chief,” said James. “You’d do well to remember that.”

“And you’d do well to remember that I’m just trying to keep my city safe,” said Chief Brandr. He looked at the one-way glass window that marked the wall in front of them. In the small room beyond the window sat Blake Belladonna. There was a bandage on her left arm, covering the White Fang brand that marred it. She sat in a chair, hands handcuffed to the table before her and feet handcuffed to the floor.

James thought it was overkill, but, based on the three long, thin, red marks on Brandr’s face, just missing his left eye, they had reason to tie her up so securely.

“She won’t talk to anyone,” said Brandr. “We brought you in because the Guild needs to be kept up to date. Do you think you can manage to get her to say something?”

“I can try,” said James. He wasn’t sure how much he’d succeed, considering he was the one who’d hurt her in the first place. “No harm in that.”

Brandr’s lips twitched, amused. “You’d think,” he replied. “Though, I suppose your face is harder to rip open than mine is.”

“Just a bit,” agreed James. He sighed and nodded to Brandr, who unlocked the door to the interrogation room and allowed James to step inside.

James sat down in the chair across the table from Blake. Her gaze flicked across him, but it betrayed nothing. She was as impassive as stone, even with her face fully bared. The APD had put her in a grey t-shirt and grey pants – standard issue prison garb. They were still holding her in the headquarters downtown, where James currently was, as it was too dangerous to transfer her out to a juvenile detention centre.

 _Besides,_ thought James, _they didn’t put Anomalies in regular prisons anymore._ Understandable, but frustrating nonetheless.

“Can I get you anything?” asked James. “Water? Food? Keys?” At the last one, Blake’s gaze lifted to him again. Her gaze took in his metal coating. The perfect suit beneath it. The mask that smoothed out his features and made him as generic as possible. She raised one eyebrow, then her gaze returned to her hands.

Her nails were ragged and torn. Her hands calloused and scarred. They were thin, just like the rest of her was painfully thin, and the discolouration around the nailbeds matched the horrible bruises beneath her eyes.

“Chief Brandr has informed me that you refuse to speak with anyone,” said James. “I was hoping you’d be willing to speak with me.”

Her lips quirked, a sort of half smirk forming for a moment. Amusement and mirth dancing equally in her eyes before it was gone again. Her gaze returned to her hands. There was a secondary brand, on her right wrist, which was a smaller version of Taurus’ personal emblem – the one on the back of his jacket.

James sighed. “Blake,” he said. By the twitch of her black ears, the ones perched atop her head and burrowed in her hair, he wondered if anyone had bothered to call her that in the last two weeks. “I want to help. That’s all I want. Not to convict you, not to punish you. I want to help you.”

“So you say.” Her words rang between them, dry and low. Raspier than James would have expected from such a girl. She looked at him, the impassiveness back in her face. A faint, lingering curiosity in her eyes and one eyebrow slightly raised.

“I mean what I say. I’m not in the habit of lying,” said James.

“Everyone lies,” said Blake. “Such is the folly of man.” Her lips twitched and so did her head. “And beast,” she added.

James pressed his lips together. “Why talk to me now?” he asked, changing the subject. “I’ve been told you haven’t opened your mouth in two weeks, and now you start talking. Why?”

Blake tilted her head to one side, her cat ears swivelling back. “Today’s the seventeenth, right?”

“How do you know that?” asked James.

Blake shrugged with one shoulder. A rolling motion that was far too casual. “Regular meals, a window in my cell. Occasionally, I see a watch.” Her lips twitched. “With that in mind, it’s not hard to keep track of time.”

“So the date is important to you,” said James.

Blake picked at her nails, not looking at him. The practiced ease of her casual movements was too focused. Too tight. There were a tension in her mouth, around her hands. She picked too harshly at her nailbeds. Two of them were bleeding.

“At midnight, everything changes,” said Blake. The distant tone to her voice faded to be replaced with a tightly coiled focus that made her lips tremble. “I’m not telling you this so you can stop it. I’m telling you this so that you know to get out of the way.” Her gaze came up, a shadow in her golden eyes. “Adam will kill you. Adam has the means to kill you. Don’t get in his way.”

“What is he planning, Blake?” asked James.

Blake shook her head, a wry twist to her lips and a too-sharp exhale sliding out of her nose. She was shaking, twitching now. James wondered if she was going through Dust withdrawals. The police wouldn’t do anything for those. Not for a teenaged Faunus criminal.

Blake said, “You have no idea, do you? No idea what he – they, _us_ – are capable of.” A soft laugh, bitter and high despite its volume.

“I can stop it,” said James.

“No, you can’t. You’ll die,” said Blake.

James reached out, saw the way Blake recoiled, and put his hands in his lap. “If you don’t tell me, you’ll be responsible for whatever happens tonight.”

Blake met his gaze. “It won’t be the worst thing I’ll be responsible for,” said Blake. The life seeped out of her eyes, leaving them cold and unyielding. “Leave.”

The words were soft, but sharp.

“Blake…”

“Please,” said Blake. Her gaze went back to her hands. She picked at her nailbeds. A third was bleeding. “There’s nothing you can do for me. Or for what’s going to happen tonight. I deserve everything that I’m about to get.” Her gaze found him once more. “Don’t get in the way of things you don’t understand, General.”

James stood, unsure of how to respond, and left the room. When the door closed behind him, he sighed.

“Well?” asked Chief Brandr.

“Gather your men, Brandr,” said James, his voice resigned even in its command. “It appears we have a manhunt tonight.”

* * *

 

He found Nevermore on a rooftop, surveying the patrolling police cars and motorcycles. James cleared his throat as he came up behind Nevermore, not sure if the other man knew he was there.

“What the hell is going on in this city, General?” asked Nevermore. There was no malice to his words, just a genuine confusion and light frustration. When he turned his head toward James, James saw that the shadows of his beaked cowl hid his lips and jaw.

“Manhunt for Taurus,” said James. “He’s got something big planned tonight. We need to stop it.”

“What’s your time limit?” asked Nevermore.

“Midnight,” said James.

Nevermore looked back at the city, his head tilted much like a bird’s. “They won’t find him.”

“You know,” said James, padding toward Nevermore. “There’s room for hope in our line of work, as well.”

Nevermore hummed, his gaze sliding back to James. The glow of his lenses was darker tonight. Thicker. Like blood, almost.

“For heroes, at least,” said Nevermore.

“What makes you so different from me?” asked James.

Nevermore shook his head, a soft chuckle slipping out of him. “You’re a hero, I’m a vigilante. There’s a difference.”

“Other than being an unorganized renegade?” asked James.

Another chuckle. “You’re a hero, General. You wanna save the world and everyone in it.” He looked at James, still facing the city, one foot planted on the low barrier between the flat roof and open air. “You believe pain can be stopped, eliminated.”

“And you?” asked James.

“Me – and all the vigilantes I’ve ever met – believe that pain can’t be stopped, just redistributed.” Nevermore shrugged, folding his arms. “If we can control the pain, we can control who gets hurt. As well as when, why, and how much. That way, the good stay good, and the bad get punished.”

James raised an eyebrow, aware that it wasn’t visible. “And you’re the one distributing that pain.”

Nevermore nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I am.”

“You know,” said James, looking onto out the city. Another police car went by. The rest of the Guild was out tonight, hunting for Taurus. James should have joined them twenty minutes ago. Instead, he was on this roof with Nevermore. But perhaps Nevermore had a lead. It seemed likely, given what little James knew about the man. “I like to think people are inherently good.”

With a snort, Nevermore said, “You would.”

“I truly believe it,” said James, side-stepping the slight mockery in Nevermore’s amused tone. “People are born inherently good. Those who aren’t good – the villains, the criminals, the _monsters_ of the world? – they’re the minority. The ones who were pushed off their path at some point in life.”

“See, I can believe you think that,” said Nevermore. “But that’s where we disagree, General. There are some people in this world born bad. You don’t _get_ that bad from some freaky mishap in childhood. Some people are just meant to be criminal scumbags. To say otherwise? That’s saying they aren’t to blame for all the pain they cause.”

James turned and faced Nevermore, his arms folded loosely, but not defensively. “So you think saying they’re born bad is to hold them accountable?”

“I’m saying it’s more accountable than saying someone else did it to them,” said Nevermore, turning to face James as well. He only half-faced James, one foot still planted on the barrier. Their few inch height difference was more pronounced by his slight slouch. “Sure, I think there are things that can push them along the way. Things that make ‘em embrace who they are. But Taurus? The Anomaly I’m tracking? Whatever it is your Wizard wants me for?” James started. He hadn’t known Nevermore knew about that.

“Those people are born to be monsters,” said Nevermore. “Maybe they didn’t start out that way, but it was always in them. _That_ is what destiny is all about.”

“You believe in destiny,” said James. It wasn’t a question.

With a nod, Nevermore said, “I do.” He turned his attention back to the city. “And speaking of monsters, I got an idea on where Taurus might be.” His lensed gaze flicked back to James. “You game?”

“Lead the way,” said James. He followed Nevermore off the roof and deeper into the city.

It was ten thirty at night.

* * *

 

Nevermore led James through the lower west side of Atlas. It was by the docks, not too far from where James and Nevermore had first met. But instead of following the maze of intermodal shipping containers, Nevermore led James to a series of old, mostly burnt out warehouses.

James knew this place from his rebuilding efforts. He’d wanted to come through this part of Atlas for almost three years – open it up and fix it. Perhaps turn it into affordable housing. But there were problems – ownership of the area, the nature of the destruction, and various health and safety concerns. Enough red tape that James had had to put the project aside and work on other, more attainable things.

Now, he wondered if he’d made a mistake. If the White Fang was planning something here… Well, at least it wouldn’t be something that would have immediate damage to the population. The worst they could do out here was begin to taint the water supply. And James knew that the water supply system had five different shut off valves in the area at various checkpoints.

So it couldn’t be that, then. So, what was it?

“What is this place?” asked James. He crouched behind one of the short barriers around the side of one of the warehouses. Nevermore peered around it, the lenses of his mask narrowed.

“Far as I can tell? It’s one of the main bases of operations for the White Fang in Atlas,” said Nevermore. “This is where they ship everything out to Vacuo City and Mistraltroplis.” He gestured for James to follow him. In the darkness, James’ eyes were struggling to adjust, but Nevermore seemed to have no such problems. James followed him until they were flush against one of the warehouses. Nevermore had his head cocked to one side.

James couldn’t help but wonder if Nevermore was a Faunus, seeing the way he moved and relied on his senses. The night vision, the hearing, even his movements, it all seemed just a little too… bestial.

Not that he’d hold it against Nevermore, of course. But the thought lingered, like thoughts tended to.

“How do you know this?” asked James. He kept his voice low, not much higher than a hiss.

“I’ve got connections,” murmured Nevermore. He didn’t elaborate. James didn’t ask him to. He didn’t think he had that privilege, yet. Perhaps another time. When they weren’t running on a clock.

“You think Taurus is in here?” asked James, still low in pitch.

Nevermore gave a sharp nod. “If he’s planning something, he’ll be here,” said Nevermore. “I’ve been scouting this place since you mentioned the increase in White Fang activity.”

“You remembered that?” asked James.

“’Course,” said Nevermore. “Why wouldn’t I?” James couldn’t think of a response to that. Instead, he waited until Nevermore gave him a signal, then he led James into the warehouse through a second storey window.

Inside, they dropped onto a catwalk, half obstructed by vents that hung suspended from the ceiling. Nevermore threw a look over his shoulder, nodding to the polished steel that made up James’ coating.

“Don’t suppose you can blend in?” asked Nevermore.

James tapped his wristbands and the coating on him picked up a camouflage pattern of black, the entirety of the metal going matte instead of polished.

There was a brief moment of silence, then, Nevermore said, “Carbon steel?” James nodded. “Is that a fucking pun?”

“Maybe,” said James, lips quirking enough to be visible. He nodded to the rest of the warehouse. “Shall we?”

Nevermore nodded to James and the two crept through the warehouse together.

There were signs, all around them, that this was the White Fang base of operations. Spray-painted symbols on the warehouse walls, supplies strewn in corners, beds lined up along one wall, half of them with personal affects tucked into their edges.

But there were no people. No guards. Nothing. It was as though the entire place had simply been… abandoned.

“This isn’t right,” said James, his voice tight. “Something happened here.”

“I’ll say,” said Nevermore. “Spread out. Let’s see if we can’t find out what.”

James and Nevermore both swung off the catwalk and touched down. Nevermore drifted with the span of his cape, while James touched down with a three point landing.

“You know,” said Nevermore, as he landed soundlessly. Impossibly light despite how heavy his armour had to be. “Those landings are hell on your knees.”

“Not mine,” said James.

“Still, you’re setting a bad example,” said Nevermore, voice slightly teasing as he headed for the beds. “Think of the children.”

James couldn’t help but snort as he headed for the tables in the centre of the warehouse. Some of them still had maps and papers on them, perhaps he’d find answers there.

The two worked mostly in silence. James studied the maps and plans. Most of them weren’t in English. He scanned them with his wrist Scroll and found they were an old Menagerie dialect. One that didn’t translate properly into English – or Japanese or French or Spanish, the other three languages James could get by in. He made do with what he could translate, marking down notes on the holo screen of his Scroll.

There were maps drawn to various banks, museums, and galleries in the city. So, thought James, maybe this _was_ about money. But why? Surely Taurus’ other schemes – namely, being a massive Dust smuggler – would pay for is endeavours in the White Fang?

But no, there had to be more to it than that, and James couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing a massive connection. The very thing that would settle what the White Fang was up to.

This wasn’t Taurus’ usual gig, nor his usual scale. So why was he doing this?

“Someone else’s orders, maybe,” murmured James.

“You find anything?” asked Nevermore, walking over.

James shook his head and pinched his brow, holo screen going dark. “Nothing concrete, just the same I found at the other site.” He sighed. “Something bigger is going on here. The White Fang is all about activism and shows of fear. Not high scale theft and drug laundering.” He looked at Nevermore, shaking his head. “I honestly have no idea what’s going on.”

Nevermore laid a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll figure it out,” he said. His gaze went to the maps. “I know someone who can probably translate this properly. Did you get scans?” James nodded. “Good. We’ll check that out another time then.”

“Did you find anything?” asked James.

“Blake Belladonna’s backpack,” said Nevermore. “Any idea who she is? She’s got the only untouched bed here.”

James nodded. “She’s at the police station. She was the girl who attacked me at the bank.”

Before Nevermore could respond again, James’ communicator went off. He tapped his ear. “This is Steel.”

“Steel, get to the Central Avenue Conference Hall, now!” shouted White Queen over the coms. There was a minor explosion and she let out a few choice words. “Taurus blew up the hall. People are trapped. We need you.”

James’ eyes went wide. “I’m on my way.” He tapped off the communicator and looked at Nevermore. “Central Avenue Conference Hall. Taurus blew it up.”

“I’m coming with you,” said Nevermore.

James nodded. “Right, let’s go.” The two ran out of the warehouse and toward Nevermore’s motorcycle and James’ car. Hopefully, that would get them across the city in time.

It was twelve-oh-three am.

* * *

 

The Conference Hall was burning. Half of it was strewn into other buildings or into the streets, but the rest was burning fiercely.

Emergency services had already gathered by the time James and Nevermore arrived on scene. Firefighters were putting out the flames, or at least, they were trying to; police officers were evacuating the area and performing crowd control; and paramedics were tending to the wounded that had been pulled out of the building.

“We’re here to help,” said James to one of the firefighters. She nodded and gestured to the building.

“There’s still civilians inside, can you go in?” she asked.

“I can,” said Nevermore. He swept his cape around him and headed in through a broken window, disappearing into the smog.

James’ gaze found Snow Pea, who was working with Chlorophyll to get everyone out of the building next to the burning conference hall.

“General Steel, there’s kids near the entrance, can you grab them?” shouted Chlorophyll.

“On it,” James called back. He ran for the mostly destroyed entrance and lifted one arm to shield himself from the licking flames. He was still in his carbon compound form, which was less recognizable but had a higher threshold for heat. Hopefully it would keep him safe.

Inside there were two girls – probably no older than twelve. He scooped one up in each arm and got them out of the building. Cradled them close before handing them off to the paramedics.

He darted back in, gaze going up to the fire as he did. The water almost seemed to be… evaporating. How was that even possible? The flames weren’t that hot. They’d have killed everyone inside if they did.

This was Taurus’ work. But how? Why?

James found another child – this one a toddler, and cradled them close as he pulled them out of the building. He passed the child onto a paramedic just in time to see Nevermore drag a teenage girl out of the fire. She was kicking and screaming. Thrashing at him until it looked like he was going to restrain her.

“Let me go!” came the voice of the redhead. “My parents are in there. _Please._ ”

“Get clear, it’s gonna blow,” shouted a firefighter.

James recognized the girl as she tried to break free from Nevermore. He rushed forward and got his arms around her middle. Hauled her close so that she couldn’t break free.

“Let me go!” screamed Pyrrha, beating against his chest. James winced. She was leaving _marks_. That could only mean one thing.

_Anomaly._

He ignored the thought and grabbed at her closer. “Pyrrha,” he said. “You need to stop. You can’t get to them if we can’t.”

She screamed again. Her hair coming loose and hanging around her face. Tears streaked her face, mixing with soot and concrete dust. “Please!”

James heard the shout of another firefighter just in time. He turned, put his back to the building and shielded Pyrrha. The building exploded with a great scream. Pyrrha’s scream mixed with it. The flames ripped across James’ body and he took a knee. Lost his grip on Pyrrha. But she collapsed with him and didn’t move but for her trembling.

James fought through the pain and swam back to the surface of his mind. He glanced over his shoulder to see the flames still licking at the wreckage. At the smoke and smog that rose up into the speckled night sky. At the people staring. At White Queen already reinforcing the buildings on either side of the wreckage.

And Pyrrha, crouched in front of him, stared on in horror. Tears poured down her face and dripped onto her torn and torched dress. “My parents,” she whispered. “No, no, no, no, no.” She broke off, babbling, her head in her hands and body curling up on itself. Behind them, a car creaked ominously, its trunk denting without anything to touch it.

Hesitantly, James wrapped his arms around Pyrrha. She collapsed against him, sobbing. His body sang as if it was vibrating and he shivered.

“General!” came Nevermore’s voice. He jogged up to James, cape torn and outfit soot covered. “The fires. I know them.” James looked up at Nevermore, brow furrowed. “The Anomaly I’m tracking, they can make them.”

“What does that mean?” asked James. He looked back at the unnatural fire, which still refused to be vanquished.

“It means I was wrong, they – she – isn’t just an Anomaly,” said Nevermore. His lenses were a vibrant red now. “She’s one of the _Four._ ”

“No,” breathed James. And Nevermore nodded.

Before James could say anything else, his Scroll went off, and he answered it to see Chief Brandr looking at him, fear naked in his expression.

“What’s going on?” asked James.

“Belladonna is gone and so is her sword,” said Brandr. “Her cell is empty, half my men are unconscious or dead, and all that was on that table was this.” He held up a single, long-stemmed rose. The thorns were visibly sharp.

“Taurus,” James bit out. “We’ll find her. Get your men to safety.” Brandr nodded and hung up.

James turned his attention back to Nevermore.

“They’re connected,” said James.

“Yeah,” said Nevermore. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, which was quite a feat, considering the cape and the cowl. “But our best lead is gone and this place ain’t gonna give us anything but bodies.”

Pyrrha whimpered and Nevermore grimaced, obviously regretting the words.

“Back to square one?” guessed James.

“Square two,” said Nevermore. “We’ve got something at least. Taurus is working for this Anomaly. We can use that to track them both.”

James nodded. “Agreed,” he said. He stroked Pyrrha’s hair. “But, for tonight, we need to help out here. There are a lot of hurt people – children included. I won’t leave them.”

Nevermore nodded in turn. James stood slowly, cradling Pyrrha in his arms. He took her to one of the paramedics and set her down on the stretcher. She didn’t seem to notice. James knew the expression, knew the dead-eyed way she stared at nothing. She was going into shock. He trusted the paramedics with her.

Granted, he really didn’t have a choice.

He walked back toward the wreckage, helping out where he could, commanding those who didn’t know what to do, and leading everyone to paramedics and police officers. All the while, his gaze kept flickering back to Nevermore, who was helping out as well, and his mind kept going back to everything that had happened in the last few weeks.

Pyrrha’s parents were dead. Pyrrha was an _Anomaly._ Taurus and this Anomaly that Nevermore was tracking were working together.

Could she really be one of the Four?

James’ gaze went to Chlorophyll. If the Anomaly was one of the Four, then the only person who could stand a chance against her was Chlorophyll, and considering their powers seemed to be exact opposites, he didn’t know how strong her chances were.

Still, he needed to have hope. He had told Nevermore that there was room in their line of work for it, after all. It wouldn’t do well to lose hope over such a setback.

But it was hard. There were a lot of bodies to find. A lot of families to call. And a lot of survivors to comfort.

It was going to be a long night.


	2. Act Two: Part One: Adam Taurus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first off: you may notice that this fic is now four chapters long. Sorry about that folks. This is part one of two for act two. Due to some rejiggering of my plot, as well as some new stuff I added, act two ended up being a good five thousand words longer than act one, so I decided to split it up into two parts for easier reading. Hopefully, y'all don't mind the extra bit of waiting for the second half.
> 
> Second, I am finishing this fic this month! I have a plan, I am going to stick to it, and before May is over, all of Vigilante AU will be posted. So keep an eye out for that!
> 
> Third, I wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone who commented on and kudos'd the fic. It means a lot to me that y'all like the fic as much as you do. I really love this world and I love the story I'm telling with it, so I hope y'all stick around to the end. And I hope the end is enjoyed.
> 
> Finally, I wanna just grin over this part for a minute, because I love it a lot. And I enjoyed writing every scene. There's some OCs, some Crime Dads, and a few other little things that I just loved so much.
> 
> Enjoy!

The funeral was held on a Sunday, two and a half weeks later, just before noon, and it marked the first snowfall of Atlas City for the year. It was beautiful, serene even. The funeral was well attended, the mourners were polite, respectful, and appropriately sad.

But it all felt a touch too… stark for James’ liking. Impersonal, unattached. Few pictures and fewer things. The most personal part of the funeral, apart from James and Pyrrha, was the Vasilias family. Sini and Nanami – Neptune’s mothers – were both there, and Sun had joined them as well. He looked somber, with his bowed head, still tail, and dress shirt.

As the minister spoke, James kept his arm around Pyrrha’s shoulders, holding her tight to his side. The minister spoke of ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Of her parents joining each other in heaven and of looking down and watching over them all.

And Pyrrha cried quietly against his side, pressed against him and unable to look at anything. She was on his left side, which James was grateful for, seeing as how she seemed to have some sort of metal-based Anomaly. He worried what she’d do, like this, after having seen what she’d done to the cars in the aftermath of her parent’s deaths.

As the funeral began to disperse, James nodded to Glynda, who drew Pyrrha close to her and walked toward the Vasilias family. Sini and Nanami had taken Pyrrha in temporarily, at least until a more permanent home could be found. James had already started the process of getting approved to take her in. He hadn’t quite brought it up with Pyrrha yet, but he would as soon as she was feeling better.

James had lost his parents, once, though he’d been a little older than Pyrrha. He knew trauma and loss. He knew he could help her. But for now, she needed Neptune and Sun. They would help her recover. Sun, too, had lost his parents at a young age.

Stuffing his hands in his dress pants’ pockets, James turned away from the funeral and headed back toward his car. He paused, eyes narrowed, when he saw none other than Qrow Branwen standing under a tree, just far enough back from the funeral that most wouldn’t notice him.

Walking up to him, James fought a scowl. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were following me,” said James.

Qrow raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re hot, but you’re not stalker-hot, Jimbo,” said Qrow.

James couldn’t help but start at that. Wait, Qrow thought he was attractive? The man was an insufferable ass, even after his apology, and James wasn’t sure if he could stand the thought of the man finding him… attractive.

Even if he did look really good in those pants.

James shook his head and cleared his throat. “Then what _are_ you doing here?” he asked, just barely managing to keep his voice from cracking. “Atlas Unlimited?”

Qrow shrugged and leaned against the tree, arms folded across his chest. “Nah,” he said. “Just wanted to say goodbye to them, I guess.”

“You knew the Nikos family?” asked James. He glanced back to the lingering guests. Pyrrha was leaned against Sun, her head on his shoulder and Neptune’s hand on her shoulder. They were chatting quietly with each other, by the looks of it, while the Vasilias moms bid farewell to the others. Glynda was nowhere to be seen. Probably some sort of emergency, somewhere.

“Sort of,” said Qrow. He shrugged, his gaze sliding past James to the gravesite. “I interviewed them a couple times, we got coffee once at their hotel. Mostly I knew them because of Pyrrha – her mixed martial arts tournaments were great for pictures.” He shook his head. “It’s a damn shame, what happened to them.” His gaze went back to James. “Don’t suppose the Atlas PD is making progress?”

“They’re doing everything they can,” said James. In truth, they hadn’t made much progress. Taurus and the White Fang had disappeared after the attack, and their warehouse headquarters had been abandoned.

Qrow snorted. “Figures,” he said. “Cops aren’t good for much in a city full of supers.”

“Heroes or villains?” asked James.

Qrow gave a toothy grin. “Why not both?” he asked.

Shaking his head, James said, “You know, you’re almost pleasant today. What’s the occasion?”

Another shrug. “I’m not one to spit on funerals, Jimster,” said Qrow. James raised an eyebrow at the nickname.

“It’s James,” he said.

“Whatever,” said Qrow. He brushed his bangs back out of his eyes. “The point I was trying to make is that I don’t do shit at funerals. Whatever beef I have with you, it doesn’t come to a graveyard. That’s rude.”

With a raised eyebrow, James asked, “And what ‘beef’ do you have with me, exactly?”

Qrow shrugged again and stepped off the tree. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, body language languid and casual. “You’re a rich man, Jimmy, you’ve gotta be hiding something. It’s my job to find out what.”

“Because you’re a reporter?” asked James.

There was a flash of red in Qrow’s eyes. “Because I’m a detective,” he said. He turned and walked back toward the parking lot, one hand raised in goodbye. “Drive safe, Jimmy, and keep the Nikos kid safe. She needs it.”

James watched him go, eyes narrowed. Apparently they were both detectives. Though James doubted it was in the exact same way.

* * *

If there was a more thematically appropriate place to stare menacingly out into the city, James hadn’t found it. As it stood, he and Nevermore sat next to each other, next to a carved stone raven, on the edge of a roof high above Atlas. The building was often in shadows, even in the night, due to the building behind it, and there were enough carved ravens, OSHA breeches, and conveniently placed spotlights on the city streets far below to make this the perfect spot for stake-outs and monologues.

“Coffee?” asked Nevermore, holding out the thermos. James took it and poured some into the travel mug he had brought with him. It was a cool night and he was grateful for the reinforced outfit beneath his metal coating.

They watched the city, James keeping an ear on the police scanner on his Scroll, which sat next to them.

“You ever monologue up here?” asked Nevermore. He leaned back, hands behind him. “Feels like a good place to do it.”

James laughed. “A few times,” he admitted. “Mostly in my early days, when I thought monologues were a tradition.”

A snort. “They are,” said Nevermore. “You threw one at me the first time we met, remember?”

With a wince, James nodded. “True,” he agreed. “I do still want you to join the Guild.”

“And I want you to realize I’m a vigilante, not a hero,” said Nevermore.

“They aren’t that different,” said James.

Another snort. “You keep telling yourself that.”

James passed the thermos back to Nevermore, who drank straight from it without touching the rim with his lips. James made a face, though he doubted Nevermore could tell. He wouldn’t be drinking from that again.

“So, have you had any luck tracking down your Anomaly?” asked James.

Nevermore shook his head and leaned forward, folding his arms across his legs and staring out at the city. “No, nothing since the explosion. That was her, I know it was her. But I don’t know where she went. I thought that symbol might have had something to do with it – you know, the freaky thing with three eyes we saw in the hall? – but I haven’t had any luck.”

“No one at the Guild has ever seen it before,” said James.

“When I find her,” said Nevermore, and there was no doubt in his tone, “I’ll get her to tell me what it means. I swear it.”

“You still think she’s one of the Four?” asked James.

Nevermore nodded. “She has to be. Nothing else makes sense.”

With a hum, James said, “Are you sure? Have you ever met one of the Four?”

“Winter.” James started at Nevermore’s words. What did Winter have to… right. The Four. They were typically called by their seasons, not by their names. James was used to Chlorophyll, who was referred to by her hero name or by her civilian identity – Amber – as opposed to her season – Spring.

“She’s dead,” said James.

A snort. “She is,” agreed Nevermore. “I was there when she died, General.” His lensed gaze, blood red, slightly pulsing, turned to James. His shoulders were slumped, his face pulled tight with memories that he seemed to be trying to tug back from his conscious thoughts.

There was a time, earlier on in the Guild, when the Wizard had told James about the Four. How they’d dissolved a part of their power into four pieces, twenty years ago, and sent it out into the world, where it found four young women. The power, as far as James knew, had found younger women – teenagers and children. But the Wizard hadn’t been able to track the Four, and they’d only found Amber two years ago.

“She died… almost exactly ten years ago,” said Nevermore. He sighed, soft and sad.

James reached out and put his hand on Nevermore’s shoulder. The other man seemed to lean into the touch. “You don’t have to tell me if it hurts,” said James.

Shaking his head, Nevermore said, “No, no. I just don’t get to talk about it much.” He took a deep breath. “I was on a team – a four person vigilante team – about fourteen years ago. For four years, we were the rulers of the East Coast. No one messed with our cities – with our people. We were gods among men, General.” He laughed, leaning back to stare at the night sky.

“What happened?” asked James. He watched Nevermore, eyes soft behind his coating and body angled toward him.

“We came out here and went out to Patch, on a mission. It was supposed to be standard.” Nevermore’s voice grew faraway and sad. “It wasn’t. We were ambushed by these… monsters. I still don’t know what they were. One of my teammates – Poe – she was stabbed. She died to those things. And Winter? Winter loved her.” He chuckled. “Loved her enough that her mourning drew forth the worst of her powers.”

James knew faintly about Patch, it wasn’t far from Atlas, after all. And he knew why people didn’t go there. “It’s frozen now,” he said.

“In time, yeah,” said Qrow. “I have to wonder if their bodies aren’t still there, frozen alongside it.”

“How do you know the Winter is dead?” asked James. He thought, perhaps, that the Wizard would have told him. Surely the Wizard would have gotten that piece of their power back, if the Winter had truly died.

A shrug. “I saw it in her eyes, just before she did it. She’s dead. She killed herself in that attack. Over exertion or something like that.”

There was a part of this that James was missing, he knew, but he didn’t push it. “What about you and the other member of your team? How’d you escape?”

“That’s the funny thing,” said Nevermore. His voice was sharp and bitter. High and tight. “I don’t know. We didn’t freeze. We were just… blown back. We never went back – we couldn’t. No one could. That’s when they roped off Patch and called it a lost cause.” He shook his head, lips pressed tightly together in the shadow of his cowl. “My other teammate? He lost his powers. Trauma, ya know?”

James thought of Pyrrha. Of the cars. “Yeah,” he said. “I know.”

 “This one I’m chasing, she has to be Autumn. She has to,” said Nevermore.

“Not Summer?” asked James. Nevermore twitched at the name. Barely there, but noticeable all the same to James’ trained eyes. He decided not to say it again.

A shake of Nevermore’s head. “No,” he said. “Summer is light. Spring is growth. Winter is time. Autumn is fire. In the fall, everything burns. Everything dies so that it can hibernate and be reborn in the spring. Ashes to ashes.”

“And dust to dust,” finished James. He sighed. The funeral still fresh in his mind, even several days later. “Fair point. I’ve never met the Summer though. I don’t think anyone has.”

“Spring?” asked Nevermore, raising an eyebrow.

“On the Guild,” said James.

Nevermore tilted his head. Below them, a firetruck went by. The scanner called it a minor house fire. James figured they’d be fine without heroes. The screaming siren faded before Nevermore spoke again.

“Chlorophyll,” he said, slowly. James gave a single nod. Nevermore chuckled and shook his head. “Should have figured, that woman is more than your average Anomaly, even just looking at her.”

James thought about the TV interviews, the fan sites, the public image. How James might have been the leader of the Guild, and the Wizard the founder, but Chlorophyll was the face. The bright eyed, always smiling and laughing, face of the Guild.

“Yeah, she’s pretty incredible,” said James. The fondness in his voice had Nevermore raising an eyebrow at him.

“You train her?” asked Nevermore.

James nodded. “When she joined, a few years ago. She was new, unexperienced, and incredibly powerful. I helped her focus that until she became the fighter she is today.”

“You’re a hell of a mentor, General,” said Nevermore.

“I try,” said James, softly.

They were silent for a few minutes, passing the coffee back and forth – James gave up trying to pour it out and drank straight from the thermos, just like Nevermore. To hell with hygiene, it wasn’t like his body didn’t filter it all out when he was like this.

Below them, the nighttime streets of Atlas were sparkling with lights from buildings and from street lamps. Club signs and advertisements lit up the downtown strip, and the whistling howl of the occasional wind blew at the handful of trees James could see from this height.

“If she is one of the Four, do you think Chlorophyll can take her?” asked Nevermore.

James frowned and leaned forward. His legs dangled off the roof and he gripped the edge with his hands. The cold of the roof was the same as the cold of his hands. “I don’t know,” he said, honestly. “There’s a lot about the Four I don’t think anyone understands. Besides, their powers are like fire and ice.”

Nevermore snorted. “If they were fire and _ice_ , I wouldn’t be worried. They cancel each other out. This is different. This is plants versus fire.”

“That is the problem,” murmured James. He frowned out at the city, squinting. “I’m more concerned about Taurus and the White Fang at the moment, especially now that they’ve gone dark.” He looked at Nevermore, lips pressed together. “A hundred and thirteen people died in that explosion. A hundred more were injured. We only pulled out a few uninjured people.”

“The Nikos kid,” said Nevermore.

James nodded, staring out at the city again. “The Nikos kid,” he agreed. He could still hear Pyrrha’s screams when he tried to sleep. Still feel the way she’d bent his metal coating in her grief as she’d beat upon his chest.

The bruises were fading, even if her wails did not.

“So many people dead,” murmured James. “So many people lost their families, their livelihoods, their loved ones.” His gaze was unfocused. The lights blurred around him.

A warm hand rested itself on his knee and he looked up to stare at Nevermore. The glow of his lenses was dim now, more rust coloured than red. He tilted his head, slightly, lips pursing before pressing into a thin line.

“Hey,” said Nevermore. His voice was gentle. Like a whisper on the wind too private for the rest of the world to hear. “We can’t save them all, General. It’s shitty, but we can’t. We will lose people. It’s part of our job.”

James sighed and glanced from the city streets to Nevermore. Hesitantly, he rested one of his hands over Nevermore’s. Nevermore turned his over to lace their fingers together. The warmth, the texture, and the firmness grounded James. He clung tight to it in the face of his mounting thoughts.

“I know,” said James. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“No,” agreed Nevermore, tightening his fingers. “It doesn’t.”

Below them, the city streets screamed with noise and colour. But Nevermore and James were silent. Anchoring each other while they drifted on the waves of memories neither one could forget.

* * *

James was tired. He was tired. He was grumpy. He was impatient.

But mostly he was tired.

Down in Atlas City, it was probably about five in the morning, but up on the Beacon, time apparently had no meaning. Ironic, considering their founder had something of a knack for time.

As it stood, James had been up for over an hour already. The Wizard had called him on a private channel so that he could come “talk”. James suspected it was less talking and more being lectured. Though over what, exactly, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps the convention hall. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been beating himself up about that enough, anyway. Surely the Wizard had something to more to add.

…And it occurred to him that perhaps his sleep-deprived, coffee-addled, five-am brain was far too sarcastic for his liking.

He vowed to never get up this early again. It couldn’t be good for him. It couldn’t be good for _anyone_ , for that matter.

James slumped into the Wizard’s office, yawning behind one steel-covered hand and closing the door behind him. His gaze went to the chair, which was facing the window, as it tended to be. Taking a moment, James straightened himself out, double checked his wristbands, and the stepped forward and cleared his throat.

“Hello, James,” murmured the Wizard, without turning around. James felt his entire body go rigid. _First name_. This was serious. This was an appeal.

This was something the Wizard already knew he wouldn’t agree to. But what could it possibly be?

“Wizard,” said James, nodding respectfully.

“Tell me, James,” said the Wizard, still not turning around. “What creates the strongest Anomalies?”

James blinked. A pop quiz? That was unlike the Wizard. “Trauma,” he said.

“Indeed,” said the Wizard, humming. “And what is the strongest trauma a child can face?”

James remembered being younger. In college. The night his parents had come to visit. The gunshots and the screamed. The broken string of pearls. His mother’s face as the light had left her eyes.

Her jerked. Grimaced. Clenched his hands at his sides.

“Death,” said James. “Of the parents.”

A creeping feeling up his spine warned James that he was walking into a trap. That he was leading the Wizard right into the conclusion they wanted. One James couldn’t argue with. But…

_Pyrrha._

“No,” said James, sharply. “No, don’t you _dare_ touch her.”

“Touch who?” asked the Wizard. They turned in their chair. The hat – flat and wide – was perched on their head today. The shadows kept their face – sans their glowing green eyes – dark to James. Unable to make out any details. The Wizard tilted their head to one side. Their eyebrow raise. James grit his teeth.

“You know who I’m talking about,” said James, tightly.

The Wizard hummed again. Steepled their fingers. Above them, the gears of their office rotated in midair, interlocking but free floating. Their clinking noise was faint, but the smell of metal lingered in the office. Fainter and thicker than the smell of James’ own coating.

“Pyrrha Nikos,” said the Wizard. “I’ve already seen her at work, James.” The name again. James bristled. Fought the urge to snarl. “Her Anomaly may be the most powerful thing I’ve seen short of the Four in years.” They tilted their head again. “Perhaps even stronger than my… _daughter_.”

“Her name is Penny,” said James before he could stop himself.

The Wizard’s shoulders rolled back and they leaned back in their chair. Spreading their hands, they said, “So it is.” Another hum. “Tell me, what do you know about the Nikos girl?”

“She’s a child. She’s in mourning. She doesn’t need us. She needs time. Sleep. Friends. Family.” James’ words were hurried, tight. He knew this. He remembered this. This was how the Wizard had recruited Amber and Winter. Back when they were younger. But god, they hadn’t been as young as Pyrrha.

They _hadn’t._

“She needs justice,” said the Wizard. “Tell me, when your parents died, James. What did you do?” They leaned forward, elbows on the glass desk. “Did you stand by and let the police do their job? Did you go into mourning with your friends and never seek answers?” James swore they were smiling, but he couldn’t tell. “What _did_ you do in the aftermath?” The taunt was in their voice. Teasing warmth that meant the Wizard already knew the answer.

And of course they did. Both of them knew what James had done. His Anomaly – his strength – had awoken inside him. He’d gone into online courses, correspondence, and part-time night classes. Found teachers, trainers, for everything he needed to know. Spent years travelling the world, building the company back up by himself, and searching for answers.

But he’d never found the man who’d killed his parents.

He hadn’t let it destroy him. He’d used it to become stronger. To become a beacon of hope and change and _life_ in a world sometimes filled with darkness.

He believed that people were inherently good, he had been telling the truth when he told Nevermore that. Some people went off the track. But James never had. He’d seen death. Seen pain. Struggled with his own demons and fought them off.

But Pyrrha was a _child._

“It’s different,” said James, after a too-long silence as he traveled down memory lane.

“I’m not sure I see how,” said the Wizard.

“She’s a _child_ ,” snapped James.

Another head tilt. An amused tone. “And you weren’t?”

James took a sharp breath through his nose and willed himself to calm down. Willed himself not to say something he _knew_ he’d regret. But this was the Wizard, and, as much as he respected them, they were _wrong_ about this. And James didn’t know if he could convince them of that.

“You’re not recruiting Pyrrha,” said James. “I won’t allow it.”

“Allow it?” echoed the Wizard, and there was that wry tone that James had only heard a handful of times in his time in the Guild. “General, what makes you think you can stop me?” Switch over to the code name. The personal was gone. The cold returned. James bit back his anger. Or at least, he tried to. “I did not call you here to discuss whether the Nikos girl would be joining us. I called you here to go _get her._ ” Now James was sure they were smiling. “You are our recruitment officer, after all.”

James took a deep breath. Then another. His fists wouldn’t unclench. “No.”

“No?” echoed the Wizard.

“No,” said James. “And if you’re recruiting her, then I’m done.” Voice cracked. “Find yourself a new leader.”

With that, he turned and walked out of the office. He managed to get twenty feet down the hall before he broke.

Snarling, he turned and slammed his fist into the reinforced steel wall. Then he did it again. Then again. Let the sound ring through his body and shake him to his core until his entire body shuddered and slumped against the sizeable dent.

_Damn it._

Tears prickled his eyes against his will.

He would not _cry_ , damn it.

Shoving himself off the wall, James headed for the transport dock. He needed air. Fresh air. Not the recycled shit the Wizard had been breathing since the day the Beacon had been put in the sky.

* * *

Down on Earth, James changed back into his regular clothes, dark turtleneck and nice blazer today, plus a scarf, and headed into Atlas City. He figured he’d get a coffee at his favourite locally owned place. The couple there – an adorable pair of lesbian veterans – were always kind to James.

On his way there, James kept his head down against the wind and let his mind wander over the dozens of thoughts swirling around his head.

He’d just walked out of the _Guild_. The only family he’d known for almost… seven years, now. How could he just do that? But then, he’d had to. If the Wizard was going to start using child soldiers, then James couldn’t stand by and let them do that. It wasn’t right. Children didn’t belong in a war against enemies they didn’t know existed.

And to exploit a child in mourning? That was just… That made his stomach turn, if he was completely honest.

James sighed, heavily, and walked faster. He needed to escape these thoughts. These demons that clung to his back and screamed in his head because _damn it_ he could not take the Wizard in a fight but god he wanted to. And wasn’t that the reason he’d become a hero in the first place? To work out all the anger he had against the world? The anger that had built up inside him even though he saw the good in (almost) everyone?

But as the old anger had faded new anger hadn’t replaced it. Not until Taurus. Not until now.

Not until-

James slammed hard into something in front of him and stumbled back a step. There was a yelp in front of him as a figure hit the sidewalk, falling backward from the force of James’ impact with them.

James winced and rushed forward the few steps to the other figure. He held out his hand, already helping them to their feet. It took a second, but he recognized the grumbling voice. The narrow stature.

The rust coloured eyes.

James stepped back, hackles rising. “ _Qrow_ ,” he growled.

Qrow looked up at him, pupils visibly dilating. He grinned. All teeth. “Well, well, well, now _there’s_ a voice I’ve never heard before.” He chuckled, stuffing his hands into his – tight, black, form fitting – pants’ pockets. “What brings you out this way in such a foul ass mood, Jimbo McGee?”

“I was going to go get coffee,” said James. His voice was tight. He put one hand over his face – his flesh one, thank god – to avoid glaring anymore at Qrow. Or trying to understand the sudden pupil shift. He really needed to stop looking so closely at things. All it led to were headaches.

“So you decided to shove me?” asked Qrow, drily.

“No,” said James. “It was an accident. I’m sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry, just tired, and he knew it. “I’ve had…” He sighed. “I’ve had a rough morning.”

Qrow checked his watch. “It’s ten o’clock.”

“Yes,” said James. “Yes it is.” He sighed again. “Look, if you want to use this to smear me, fine, go ahead. I just.” He stumbled. “I just want to go sit down, have some coffee, and forget about my shitty morning. All right? I can deal with your obsession with my so-called perfection later.”

He pushed passed Qrow, intent on getting to the coffee shop before he ran into anything else. But Qrow darted around him – almost too quick for the eye to follow – and held out his arms to the sides as if it would block James from continuing on. He paused, if only to humour Qrow, and folded his arms.

“ _Do_ you want a smear story?” asked James. He wasn’t sure if his voice was curious or amused or snide. Probably somewhere in the realm of “all three”.

“No,” said Qrow, and it might have been the most honest and open James had ever heard the man. “No, I don’t.” He sighed. “Look, I _get_ bad days, all right? I do. And I meant what I said about the funeral, about wanting to figure out what you were hiding.”

James forced himself to breathe through his nose. “And?” he prompted, when Qrow didn’t continue.

“This is it,” said Qrow, gesturing to James. “The whole idea that you aren’t perfect – that you have bad days just like everyone else. That you get frustrated and sad and short-tempered, just like _everyone else_.” He shook his head. “It’s so obvious.”

James sighed. “As I’ve said, I never claimed to be anything I’m not. You were the one who put me on a pedestal.”

“Yeah,” agreed Qrow. “I was.”

James blinked. Wait. Qrow was… _agreeing_ with him? “What?” said James, incredulous.

Qrow sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I got so caught up in this public image everyone has made of you. This messiah figure that rose from the trauma of his parents’ death and the ashes of the accident that took part of his body. This man with more money than god who uses it for good instead of evil and oil.” Qrow shook his head. “I was wrong about you. And I’m sorry.”

James didn’t say a word for a long minute. He just stared at Qrow. At the sheepish tilt to the man’s head and the slight cant to his hips. At the smile and the worry that stared up at James through their three or four inch height difference.

“What do you want, then?” asked James. His voice was still tired, but most of the judgement had leaked out of it.

“If you’ll let me?” asked Qrow. He stuffed his thumbs in his pockets. “I’d like to try and make things right. Apologize, maybe do something for you.” A pause. “Let me buy you that coffee of yours. You can kick me to the curb after that, but, I just wanna apologize properly.”

James stared again. Qrow’s hips swung slightly as he walked backward, a hopeful smile on his face and a light in his eyes. James knew his eyes kept finding Qrow’s hips. Knew the gentle sway of them was growing more pronounced each time he did.

He swallowed, dragging himself out of those thoughts. “Sure,” said James. “But I’m picking the place.”

Qrow smiled. “Deal.”

* * *

James wasn’t sure what he expected out of coffee. Certainly, it wasn’t the pleasant conversation about Qrow’s nieces that had them both chuckling quietly to one another.

“I’m telling you, Ruby once got twenty of those jumbo marshmallows into her mouth all at the same time,” said Qrow.

James shook his head, face wrinkled in both disgust and confusion. “How? Her mouth can’t be that big. She can’t be more than, what, twelve?”

“Got it in one,” said Qrow, laughing. He sipped at his coffee, iced, despite the cold weather. “Yeah, just turned. She’s gotta have a snake jaw, I swear.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that,” murmured James. He sipped at his own coffee, sweetened with a touch of caramel and swirled with whipped cream.

“What about yours?” asked Qrow. “You said the girl you were with was a friend of yours? Or, his daughter?”

James hummed. “Their,” he corrected. “And yes, she is. She’s a lovely girl and I enjoy spending time with her.”

“Got any horror stories?” asked Qrow.

James chuckled. “No.” Not any he could share with Qrow, anyway. He wasn’t sure how the man would react to stories about Penny walking on ceilings, sneezing and crashing computers, or giggling so loudly she accidentally short circuited the Beacon. …Again.

That had been an interesting pair of afternoons to say the least.

“Lucky,” said Qrow. “You see her much?”

“All the time,” said James. “She’s pretty sheltered though. The gala was her first time out in public.”

Qrow winced and slid down in his seat. “Now I feel like even _more_ of an asshole.”

“Good,” said James. “You upset her a great deal, Qrow.”

His wince tightened. “Yeah, I’ll uh, I’ll apologize next time I see her. And bring a present.”

Deimos, one of the servers, and the owners’ teenager, wandered up to them at that moment, interrupting their discussion.

“You two all good?” they asked, pen behind one ear.

“Just fine, Deimos, thank you,” said James.

“Dei?” called Delaney, Deimos’ girlfriend, from the kitchen. Deimos looked back at her. “Um, can you come here?” She winced, her black bob hanging in her face as she leaned out the kitchen door. “I’m pretty sure the dishwasher is alive. Again.”

Deimos sighed. “I’ll be right back,” they said to James and Qrow. They turned, plucked up the broom next to the door, and marched into the kitchen, brandishing it as a weapon. There were crashes from inside the kitchen, a few shouts of “Get back foul beast!” and some sparking noises.

“How…?” asked Qrow, trailing off.

James sighed. “Don’t ask.” He put his head in his hands.

“I won’t,” said Qrow. He chuckled. “Yang is pretty intense sometimes. She set the toaster on fire once.”

“The toaster?” echoed James.

Qrow nodded. He clicked his tongue and spread his hands. “Toaster. Tai had a hell of a time putting it out. We had to go get a new one.”

A question occurred to James and he hesitated for a moment. Then, he decided to plow on ahead. “So, you and Taiyang… Are you…?” He trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

Qrow laughed. “Friends,” he said. “But I get the confusion. Lot of people think we’re married, but nah. Tai and my sister had a thing back when…” He trailed off, eyes growing cloudy. There were a few long, awkward moments of silence. A tightness in Qrow’s expression that made James want to reach across the table and comfort the man.

“Tai’s a widow,” said Qrow, eventually. His gaze was on the table and his hands gripped his glass tightly. “Two times over, even. We’re each other’s support network, but we’re not romantic.” A pause. “Or sexual.” The last words had Qrow looking back up at James, a coy twitch to his lips but his eyes still shadowed in past memories.

“You lost your sister,” said James, softly.

Qrow shrugged. “Yeah. But it’s the nature of what she did. They were military. Me? I was press.” A bitter laugh slipped past his lips. “But you don’t need to hear that.”

“I don’t mind,” said James, softly. “I’m not in a rush.”

Qrow smiled and started talking again, this time about Ruby and Yang’s misadventures in Father’s Day baking. James caught himself laughing, the sounds of the dishwasher battle background noise, and he watched Qrow with a soft smile on his face.

The man wasn’t so bad, he thought. Just a little scattered. A little sharp. But James couldn’t blame him. Everyone handled trauma differently. Qrow had become sharp to deal with it, while James had become firm and more openly caring.

Both were valid. And he found he enjoyed listening to Qrow’s gentle rasp in the quiet of the coffee shop.

* * *

About a week passed and James was busy enough that he almost didn’t realize he was no longer an active member of the Guild. Sure, the pain was there, but it was a distant thing. A faint ache that was mostly covered by his interactions with Nevermore, their hunt for the Anomaly – or Autumn of the Four, they disagreed on that – and their search for the White Fang.

During the day, James’ time was filled with plans for expanding into the docks, as he’d finally gotten the deeds to one of the warehouses. As well as his refurbishing of the downtown area through public restoration projects. Glynda lingered in the background of these things, as she did work for his company, and James tried not to let her disappointed look get to him too much.

He wouldn’t ask about Pyrrha and Glynda wouldn’t tell him.

That was how they worked. And, more than ever, he wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse. He wanted to know, but didn’t want to ask. Wanted to not show interest or give the Wizard the satisfaction of knowing that he was worried about how she was doing.

James wasn’t sure when he’d see Pyrrha next – the Vasilias’ were taking a break from his galas and he didn’t have one planned until late December, which was next month.

His question was answered one day when he was walking downtown, heading toward the dress store that he and Penny had been to weeks again. He may not have been an active member of the Guild anymore, but he’d promised that he’d get her more dresses. He’d send them up with Glynda. She wouldn’t mind. She probably wouldn’t question it either.

She would, however, give him a flat look and ask questions with her eyes. James could ignore that. Or so he told himself.

So, as James walked up to the store, he caught sight of a handful of petty criminals getting wrapped up in vines and hauled into the air. He stepped back, already shifting into a defensive position. _Chlorophyll._

But where?

A girl wearing a very Greek inspired outfit in gold and white zipped by, her red hair pulled back in a bun and held with a gold circlet. The manhole covers next to James lifted into the air and shot toward the next set of criminals in wide arcs. Fire danced off the fingers of one. And lightning off the other.

The girl – it was Pyrrha, it _had_ to be Pyrrha – threw the covers again. Clocked one of them in the jaw and the other in the chest. Both went down.

James folded his arms tightly across his chest and waited. The rest of the criminals were dispatched in moments, thanks to Chlorophyll, then Pyrrha and Chlorophyll were high-fiving. James knew the exact moment that Chlorophyll realized he was there – her eyes went wide behind her stylized mask and she slumped her shoulders guiltily. He pressed his lips together in a thin line and watched them walk off together.

So the Wizard had recruited Pyrrha then. James had figured as much. But sending her out into the field that soon? Now that was just asking for trouble.

With a sigh, James headed back to his estate. It looked like he was paying the Beacon a visit after all. He’d have to get Penny’s dresses another day.

* * *

Most of the Guild members were up on the Beacon when James arrived, dressed as General Steel. Hummingbird and Blunderbuss were talking quietly in the kitchen. Blunderbuss’ red outfit clashed heavily with Hummingbird’s green and feathered one, but the two men refused to change outfits or work with other people.

On the bright side, they always made the Guild look festive in December.

Puma and Snow Pea were off on their own as well, discussing various battle tactics that could be employed against their enemies. Snow Pea also seemed to be discussing how to conjure a puma with the man in question, who was laughing loudly at her facial expressions, half hidden by the mask.

The White Queen was down on Earth, and the people James were looking for were probably in the main training room.

He entered it, having avoided detection from all but Puma, who had raised a thick, bushy eyebrow at him, his cowl down while he spoke with Snow Pea. But then, Tukson was fairly casual about his secret identity. Although, given how he’d joined the Guild, he didn’t really have a choice.

In the training room, James saw Pyrrha, now in sweats, slinging around metal discs, fifteen feet away from her person. She moved as though she was holding them, like discuses, despite them never coming close to her body. The soft woosh of them moving through the air, the tang of metal and blood – Chlorophyll was off to the side, wrapping her arm – and the lingering dull cloud of sweat smell and exertion hung around James.

It felt like home. And the familiarity of it all, untouched by his time away, made James’ heart and head ache in equal fervor.

“General Steel.” Penny’s voice. High and clear, like bells on a clear summer day. She was sitting on a stack of mats off to the side of the room, chin tucked up against her knees while she watched Pyrrha sling around the discuses. “What are you doing here?”

Pyrrha and Chlorophyll – Amber, James corrected, seeing as she was sans costume as well – looked up as well. The discuses hit the floor, probably a bit harder than Pyrrha had meant. She winced, one eye mostly closed.

“I wanted to talk to Miss Nikos,” he said. He kept his voice neutral, aware that it would probably come off as cold.

“Of course, sir,” said Pyrrha. She snapped to attention. The sharp lines of her form, coupled with the muscles she’d picked up in her kickboxing lessons – three years now, if James remembered correctly – made her look every bit the hero the Wizard wanted her to be.

James let his stance go as casual as he could. Tried to make himself seem friendly, even if he was filled with apprehension. “I thought I was supposed to be training you,” he said.

“I was told you were on vacation, sir,” said Pyrrha. Her entire body was tense. Her arms were folded behind her and her brow was pulled tight over her nose.

“I was, I’m back now,” said James. “I’d like to train you.”

She nodded, still trembling slightly. “Okay. I-I’m sorry?”

James sighed, soft. He wasn’t going to get her to relax, like this. He fiddled with his wristbands, humming. “Tell me, Miss Nikos, do you know who I am?”

“You’re General Steel,” said Pyrrha. “Leader of the Guild.”

“Indeed,” said James. He tapped his wristbands. The metal coating slid off his body and back into the bands, leaving him standing before her in his dress uniform. “Do you know who else I am?” This time, the amusement carried in his voice.

Pyrrha lit up, eyes bright and face grinning. “Mr. Ironwood!”

“Hello, Pyrrha,” said James. A soft laugh slipped into his tone and he reached out, laying a hand on Pyrrha’s shoulder. “I’d be honoured to train you, so long as we abide by my rules.”

She nodded vigorously. “Of course. That sounds wonderful.”

“Firstly, no more field work until I’m sure you’re ready for it,” said James, holding up one finger with his free hand. “And that includes you too, Penny. I saw the way you were looking at this training. You’ll be joining us.”

Penny cheered and leaped off the mats, skipping across the room to James and Pyrrha. “That sounds spectacular!”

“Indeed,” said James. “So, let’s get to work. Show me your work with those discs again. If you’re going Greek inspired, we might as well make them a permanent addition to your outfit.”

Pyrrha gave him a quick salute and threw out her hands, lifting the discuses into the air and spinning them around with a pinched look of concentration on her face. James watched, leaned against the wall, as Pyrrha practiced. If he could manage to keep Penny and Pyrrha off the battlefield with training as an excuse, he could keep them safe.

It was just a matter of how long that would work. And how long until the Wizard figured out what he was doing.

* * *

Two men in black outfits and White Fang masks hit the brick wall of the alleyway. Nevermore stalked forward, talons extended and the lower half of his face in shadow. One of the men tried to stand and Nevermore caught him in the gut. Drove his elbow between his shoulder blades and sent him sprawling into the gravel and dirt that splattered the asphalt.

“Nevermore.” James kept his voice firm, but neutral as he walked forward. His heavy footfalls seemed to echo in the tall, thin space of the alley.

“General,” said Nevermore. He stepped back from the two fallen men, rolling his shoulders as he did so. His cape fluttered, the overlay of feathers shifting like ruffled wings. The men groaned from where they laid. If they were smart, they’d stay down.

“Didn’t expect to see you out tonight,” said James, eyeing the men. His gaze slid back up to Nevermore, whose lips were quirked just enough to look mischievous.

Nevermore shrugged, the gesture slow and measured. “Looking for information. White Fang is still silent, and these two are the first ones I’ve seen in weeks.”

James nodded. “Right. Any luck with these two?” They groaned again. James debated calling an ambulance. He’d had to take off their masks, of course, or else the hospital was likely to kick them out. But still, it wasn’t fair to leave them like this.

“Nah,” said Nevermore. “I got a lead from an old friend of mine though. Wanted to stop in to his place and ask him about it. You in?”

James nodded and stepped to the side, gesturing out of the alleyway. “Lead the way.” Nevermore passed him, cape ruffling in the slight night breeze. As James followed after him, he tapped a button on his wristband, sending an ambulance to the location.

He’d leave the masks, this time.

* * *

Nevermore took him to a place that seemed to be a popular night club. James raised an eyebrow at it, glancing over to Nevermore as the man led him to the back entrance. He rapped on the knob-less door three times and waited.

The door swung open, a person in a black suit with red sunglasses peered out at them. They sighed, stepped back, and gestured for Nevermore and James to enter.

“Hey, Nigel,” said Nevermore. “Not on bar duty tonight?”

“I was getting drinks,” said Nigel. They rubbed a hand over their mouth. James looked around. The three of them seemed to be in a storage room. There were shelves upon shelves of glasses, bottles, and boxes, and a table rested along one wall. It had a few pale stains and the side touching the wall looked like it had been banged into the concrete a few too many times.

“Grab Junior,” said Nevermore. “And Roman, if you can find him.”

Nigel nodded and scurried out of the room.

“Junior?” echoed James.

Nevermore shrugged and leaned against the wall, arms folded loosely. “He’s a good guy. Great for information.”

“You trust him.” It wasn’t a question.

Nevermore flashed him a smile, the lights of his lenses twinkling. “I do,” he agreed. “He saved my life, back when I lost my team. If he and Roman hadn’t shown up when they did…” Nevermore trailed off and sighed, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. “They ain’t crooks, no matter what people say, and Junior puts a lot on the line telling me shit like he does.”

“I won’t do anything to hurt that,” said James.

Nevermore nodded. “I know,” he said.

The door opened again and this time a large man with a well-trimmed beard walked into the room. He was dressed similarly to Nigel, albeit sans the hat, sunglasses, and jacket.

“Nevermore,” said the man.

“Junior,” replied Nevermore. “Good to see you.”

Junior’s gaze flicked to James and his eyes narrowed. He shifted backward, arms already folding across his chest and shoulders hunching forward. “You brought Guild into _my_ club?” His words were sharp, but his eyes were edged with worry.

“He won’t say anything,” said Qrow. “And he only knows about you and Roman, not the rest.” James glanced between the two. The rest? Now he was curious. Of course, it would be rude to say anything, so he kept quiet. “I need intel. Taurus has gone dark again and he’s got company. Powerful company.”

Junior’s gaze slid from one man to the other, lips pursed. “We talking Anomaly?”

“Second level,” said Nevermore. James blinked. So that was what he was going with? Probably for the best, anyway.

Junior whistled. He leaned back against the door, a sigh expanding into the room. Shaking his head slightly, he said, “Second level Anomaly. That’s…” Another head shake. He rubbed his hand over his mouth. “That’s terrifying.”

“Yup,” said Nevermore. He clicked his tongue and spread his hands. The gesture was familiar, though James couldn’t place why. “We’re trying to flush her out before she can do anymore damage. You got any word on her?”

Junior shook his head, lips pressed tighter tightly. “No. I…” He sighed. Rubbed his face again. “No.”

“Don’t suppose I can convince you to get Creamsicle to put her ear to the streets?” asked Nevermore. Creamsicle? James wasn’t familiar with the name. Perhaps another vigilante.

“She’s sick, Nevermore,” said Junior. “Something’s going on with Anomalies down here. Something big. All the powers are shifting, all the people are getting sick.” He glanced over his shoulder, something tight in his eyes. “I don’t know what to do.” His words were soft, a confession that he probably hadn’t meant to say.

Nevermore and James looked to one another, gazes locking for a moment. James cleared his throat, intent to say something, but the door behind Junior opened. A man just a smidgen taller than Nevermore stepped into the room, his red hair hanging limply in his face.

“Em-” He stopped short, his bruised gaze flickering to James and Nevermore. “Green is non-responsive. I think she’s going into a coma.” He rubbed his face. “We need a doctor, baby bear.”

Junior grimaced, rubbing his face once more. “She’s an Anomaly, Roman, they’ll tag her. We can’t have that.”

“I know,” said Roman. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Junior’s shoulder. “But she and Cream are going down and we have nothing to help them.”

James chewed on the inside of his cheek, mind spinning as he tried to sort out the details of his next words. “I know one,” said James, after a moment. “A doctor, I mean. I can have him here inside an hour.”

“You sure?” asked Roman. “Not just gonna bring the whole Guild down on us?”

James shook his head. “No,” he said vehemently. “He’s not even in the business.” It was a bald-faced lie. Hummingbird was definitely in the business, but James knew his civilian identity as well. He could easily call the man up on his Scroll and get him down there without causing a scene.

“Call him,” said Junior. “I’ll tell you everything I know when he gets here.”

James nodded and made the call.

* * *

It took thirty five minutes for Oobleck to get there, and once he did, Roman led him upstairs and into the living space beyond the club. Junior sat them down in the back room, an open, and mostly untouched, beer sitting next to him.

“Your kids aren’t the first ones to get hit, are they?” asked Nevermore. He leaned forward in his chair, arms rested across his legs and hands clasped in front of him.

“No, not even in Atlas,” said Junior. He ran his thumb down the side of the bottle, clasping it lightly. “I’ve got contacts along the Midwest, they say stuff like that is happening across the country.” His gaze followed one of the water stains on the table. “I don’t know what’s going on.”

Nevermore sighed and bowed his head. “It’s gotta be her, General. I’ve been tracking her for months. If this is Midwest? I’ve probably followed her right through her victims.”

“Why hasn’t this gotten back to the Guild?” asked James, looking from Nevermore to Junior. “If Anomalies are getting sick, then we should have heard about.” He paused. “Or felt it, all things considered.”

Junior shook his head. “It’s not that simple. These kind of people? They stay hidden. Besides, as far as I can tell, it’s just girls. Younger ones – oldest I’ve seen is maybe twenty five.”

“Girls?” echoed Nevermore. He glanced at James and James bit back a sigh. He knew what Nevermore was thinking, because the thought had crossed his mind as well. Was this connected to their mysterious Anomaly? And, more importantly, was it connected to the Four?

“Taurus may be quiet, but the underground is anything but,” said Junior. He leaned forward on the table, hands clasped in front of him. “There’s deals going down all over the place, a build-up. Pretty sure it’s White Fang related.”

“Weapons?” guessed Nevermore.

“And Dust,” said Junior. “A lot of it. They’re planning something big. ‘Bout two weeks from now, the deal will go down.” He shook his head. “Couldn’t tell you what it is, though.”

James nodded. “Thank you.”

“That’s all I got. Been a bit busy with those two, as it is,” said Junior.

“You have other Anomalies in the house?” asked James.

“No,” said Junior. “Just those two.”

Another nod from James. “Keep them safe. Was there anything else?”

“One thing,” said Junior, pulling out a napkin and a pen from his pocket. He sketched a symbol onto it – three eyes, all turned sideways, the small ones connected with lines to the larger, central eye. The symbol from the convention hall. “You make anything of it?”

“Seen it before,” said Nevermore. “Don’t know what it means yet.”

Juniro nodded and stood, so did James and Nevermore. Nevermore clasped wrists with Junior.

“Stay safe, Junior,” said Nevermore. The three nodded to one another, and then Nevermore led James out of the back room and back into the alleyway.

“Female Anomalies,” said Nevermore once they were back in the streets. “Can’t be coincidence.”

“No, it can’t,” agreed James. “I’ll check my contacts, you check yours?”

Nevermore nodded. “Sounds good.”

James pulled something from his pockets that he’d been carrying around for a week. He held it out to Nevermore. “Here,” he said, holding out the spare Scroll. “It’s not connected to the Guild. Figured it’d be easier to coordinate like this.”

Never seemed to hesitate for a moment, his fingers reaching out like spindly shadows, but he took the Scroll and tucked it away into his pockets. “Thanks,” he said. “Hey, is your doc gonna be okay in there?”

James looked back at the club. The pulsating lights lit up the windows like fireworks in the night sky. “Yeah, he knows what he’s doing.”

“And we know what we’re doing,” said Nevermore. He clasped James on the shoulder. “Come on, we have work to do.”

* * *

The days blurred together after that. Information flew between the two as contacts from the depths of time and the shadows of Atlas were drawn forward to spill their details. A sick girl here, a bedridden young mother there, a nurse who had quit her job from terrible headaches, and on and on. All had one thing in common – they were all women under twenty-five.

While the Four had begun as maidens, that was, young women, some of them were probably older than that by now. So James knew it wasn’t the original Four that this seeming virus was after. It was the newest two. Winter and Summer were both unaccounted for. The fires of the Anomaly they were tracking, assuming she was a member of the Four, marked her as Autumn, and Spring was up in the Beacon. So whatever this was, it was seeking the missing two.

James spent many a night locked away in his headquarters, studying the case file he had created and relaying information to Nevermore. Nevermore combed the streets for more, and the two spent some nights together, perched atop the highest buildings in Atlas. They watched the cars blur by in multi-coloured streaks, far below, and let their words tumble into open air.

Two weeks passed this way, taking them into December, and James kept up his promise to train Pyrrha and Penny as well. All the while, he kept his eyes on his adoption papers. Soon, he thought to himself over and over again, soon she would have a home with him forever. If she wanted it, that was.

At the end of those two weeks, James found himself up in the Beacon again, pulling the last of his intel together.

“So, any leads?” asked Chlorophyll, walking into the room. Her stylized mask, hat, and outfit made her look like a Robin Hood-esque version of a musketeer, a look that he knew she prided herself on.

“Not really,” said James. He shook his head, folding his arms loosely across his chest. “As far as I can tell, the Dust deal is going down tomorrow night, but I can’t figure out where.” He tapped the holographic screen in front of him and flicked his fingers forward. The screen slid back in the air and split off into four separate screens. “I have it narrowed down to these four locations.”

“Why not just send two people to each location?” asked Chlorophyll. She smiled at him, her copper eyes twinkling behind her mask. “Solves everything.”

James blinked. _Huh._ “I, uh.” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t think of that.”

Chlorophyll laughed, the sound soft and warm as it circled James. She clasped him on the arm, smiling brightly. “That’s the problem, General, you’re so focused on the big picture, you forget the little details,” she said.

“My greatest weakness, I’m afraid,” said James.

“Nah,” said Chlorophyll. She grinned at him, her brilliant smile almost blinding. “Your greatest weakness is your heart.” She tapped his chest, her gloved hand making a soft sound against the metal of his chest. “I don’t know how something so big fits inside one man.”

James smiled back at her. “I like to think it’s a strength.”

“It is,” said Chlorophyll. “But, as a wise man once told me, sometimes your greatest strength and your greatest weakness are one and the same.” With that, she turned and strode back to the door, pausing only when James called out to her.

“Didn’t I tell you that when you first joined the Guild?” he asked, tilting his head toward her.

Chlorophyll turned and winked. “Indeed, you did.” And then she was gone, no doubt off to tease Snow Pea into a second date. It was quite the talent, if James did say so himself.

He shook his head and turned back to his screens. Chlorophyll was right – though she usually was – it simply wasn’t possible for him to guess which location Taurus would hit for the Dust deal. He’d have to work a miracle. But there were enough Guild members free to send to all four locations. Hummingbird and Blunderbuss could tackle one location, Puma and the White Queen could handle another, Snow Pea and Chlorophyll could handle the third, and he could pick the least dangerous location to give Pyrrha and Penny a chance to stretch their legs.

“All right,” said James, nodding to himself. It would be simple enough to set-up. Just a few calls and a few quick meetings. Then, tomorrow night, they’d finally find out what Adam Taurus was up to.

* * *

James led Pyrrha and Penny through the maze of old, decrepit buildings. The high brick walls were pressed close together, leaving them forming a chain of people – James first, Pyrrha last – to weave through the night time shadows and smells.

“We’re almost there,” said James. He glanced over his shoulder to look at Pyrrha and Penny. Pyrrha was going by Polaris and her stylized outfit had changed to include the mask incorporated into the circlet, her discuses mounted on her back, and a red scarf the same colour as her hair tied around her waist. She looked like Chlorophyll, in a way, with her flowing sleeves and well-fit pants.

Penny had chosen the name Haywire, which fit her powers to a T. Her own outfit was a black and green body suit, which she had conjured herself. The sleeves were disconnected from the shoulders and a hood hung over her face, obscuring her red hair. Her green eyes glowed neon in the shadows, and green lines spread across her face like a motherboard’s circuitry.

“You two ready?” asked James.

“Yes, sir,” said Pyrrha. Penny gave him a thumbs up.

“Good,” said James. They kept up their weaving, finally pulling free of the maze and escaping into the open space beyond. James spied their target building and led Pyrrha and Penny toward it. Pyrrha took point, drawing one of her discuses from her back to cover herself.

James paused halfway across the parking lot and looked back. Penny was frozen, staring, at the building they headed toward.

It was a cold night, cloaked in shadow like an old friend and dripping with the bitter scent of factory smoke and gunmetal.

The sky was the colour of the carbon fiber rods in his headquarters; the clouds the oil stains that coated his fingers more often than not. And Penny, in the midst of smoky shadow and bitter scent, was like a beacon. Her circuit board skin only mostly hidden; and her eyes were a cat's, wide with the trepidation that came from a first hunt.

He held out his hand to her, his own carbon steel coating allowing him to bleed out into the shadows. She stepped forward once, then again. Flickering green lights danced toward James in the darkness, fading into nothingness along with her fear.

She took his hand and smiled up at him, the hood of her outfit throwing her smile into bizarre proportions. “Sorry,” she said.

“Nothing to be sorry about, we all have our worries,” said James. He pulled her forward. “Ready?”

She nodded and released his hand, following after Pyrrha, who clung to the wall. Her gold circlet glinted in the single outside light, bathing a halo around her red, red hair.

“Verdict?” asked James.

“Three entrance points,” said Pyrrha, straightening as she spoke. “The second storey window, the back door, and the front door.”

James nodded. Good, she was learning. “Opinions?”

She pressed her lips together, eyes narrowed behind her mask thoughtfully. “The front door is too obvious and the window is too high up. There’s no way to know if we have a good access point once inside.”

“Back door, then,” said James. He gestured. “Lead the way, Polaris.”

She nodded and took point, leading them around the building to the backdoor. Penny walked between James and Pyrrha, her faint glow mostly hidden by her outfit. But he knew, once they got inside, that she would stick out like a lighthouse on a stormy horizon.

Pyrrha led them inside, peering into the door before giving a sharp nod to James. He followed after her, one hand on Penny’s shoulder to keep her low to the ground.

They crept into the building as hunched down statues, perching themselves behind a convenient line of crates near the door. On the other side of the room, the squawking of an argument bounced along the walls to echo into James’ ears. He cocked his head to listen better, the shrill noise of their voices solidifying.

“I told you, the full shipment wouldn’t be ready for another week,” snapped a male voice.

“And I told you I needed it today.” The second voice was smooth as silk and dripping with a darkness that had James pressing his lips together. “Adam, need I remind you how important this shipment is?”

_Taurus._

James looked to Penny and Pyrrha, who stared at him with wide eyes that obviously spoke of “what do we do?” He hadn’t expected this. He’d expected a simple recon mission. And with everyone else spread across the city, he had no idea who he could call. No one was close enough, not right now.

But then, who was this woman? Why did she feel so… different, from the other criminals that James had run into? Almost like…

He shook his head, frowning. No, it wasn’t possible. Nevermore couldn’t have possibly been right. There was no way one of the Four was a supervillain. A _criminal._

James pulled out his Scroll and pulled up Nevermore’s contact information. He fired off the address and a quick note about what was going on. Within three seconds, a reply popped back up.

 _“Be there in five,”_ it read. James put his scroll away and nodded to the two girls. He wasn’t going to chance speaking when Taurus was in the room – no telling what Faunus traits he had beyond his disgustingly devil-like horns.

He pressed his finger to his lips and gestured for them to keep their eyes and ears open before turning his attention back to Taurus and the woman.

What he saw made him suck in a breath.

Two people had joined Taurus on his side since James had last looked up. One was the hulking figure of the Lieutenant, who had escaped from jail recently. The other was the small, dark figure of Blake Belladonna.

She had a bruise across one side of her face. Her shoulders were slumped forward and her hands were clenched tightly in front of her. Her tilted head betrayed the direction of her covered gaze – the floor. And even from here, James could see the purple spider webbing of her last Dust injection. It had been in her neck.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself not to charge across the warehouse to grab her.

“Are your children supposed to intimidate me?” asked the woman. She checked her nails as she spoke. Fire licked across her shoulders and her golden eyes glowed faintly in the shadows. One of the warehouse windows creaked ominously. “You know what I’m capable of.”

“Not intimidation, just insurance. These two are my right hands, they know some of our arrangement,” said Taurus.

“Not all of it, I trust,” said the woman. There was a lilt to her voice, but no question. The confidence in her carefully absent movements had James frowning. How could one person be so sure, especially around a man like Taurus?

There was a flutter above James. He glanced upward to the catwalk just in time to see a shadow appear on it. A small box dropped down to him and he caught it. Three pairs of earbuds were inside. He passed two off to Penny and Pyrrha and tucked the third into his own ears. The world sounded distant for a second before adjusting.

He hoped they’d be enough to keep out Taurus’ voice. Nevermore made all of his own gadgets, so James knew they’d never been tested on other Anomalies.

A crash at the other door had James’ head swinging around just as the front door, not twenty feet from Taurus and the others, swung open. And in tumbled two young girls whose appearances were horrifyingly familiar.

James heard Nevermore swear. Saw the flare of his cape as Nevermore leaped off the catwalk, rolled to absorb the impact, then tore off toward the girls.

In that same amount of time, Taurus turned and shouted, “Blake, get them!” before drawing his own sword and swinging around to face Nevermore. James leaped over the crates and shouted for Penny and Pyrrha to go wide. Ploughed toward the Lieutenant just as he started up his chainsaw sword.

The warehouse erupted into noise and movement. James slugged the Lieutenant and side-stepped his attacks. Took a blow to the side of the head and shook it off. No time to waste. He had to keep the kids safe. He saw Yang, wearing a yellow bandanna over the lower half of her mouth, get booted across the warehouse by Blake. Saw her hit the wall.

Cursed, rolled passed the Lieutenant, used a whistle to cue Penny and Pyrrha toward him. Swung around to haul Ruby – domino mask and hooded cape – out of the way of a barrage of glass shards.

The woman brought up a wall of fire as Pyrrha threw her shields forward. Penny’s swords appeared around her in a glittering array of green. She shot them toward the Lieutenant, capturing his sword across a couple of her own.

James shot his Taser, the electric spokes stabbing into the Lieutenant and dropping him to his knees. Pyrrha caught one discus on the side of his head and he went down.

One down. Three to go.

Blake and Ruby were battling it out. Ruby’s speed was inhuman – _Anomaly._ Blake’s afterimages danced around the room. The blur of the two made James’ eyes cross. He swung back around just in time to throw up his arms and block a barrage of glass. Another window shattered. The glass bounced harmlessly off his metal coating and clattered to the concrete floor.

He stepped forward, swung wide. The woman brought up her arm and smirked, catching the blow easily. He swung again. Stepped back, swung again. Another catch. A curse. Stepped back, ducked a blast of fire. Swore again and spun around at a shout.

Blake was backing away from Ruby, eyes wide now that Ruby’s hood was down.

“Blake!” shouted Taurus. He was locked in battle with Nevermore, who had pulled a thin sword from beneath his cape at some point. “Kill her!”

“She’s a kid,” Blake called back. She brought her arm up to block a punch from Yang. Yang’s eyes were glowing. So were Blake’s. Only one was a Dust glow.

Another creak as windows shattered. Glass swarmed around them. James saw Penny and Pyrrha charge for the woman.

“No!” he shouted.

“Kill them!” shouted Taurus. Blake stepped back and shook her head. Sheathed her sword and kept scrambling backward. Taurus shoved back Nevermore. The woman shot her glass toward Nevermore. He threw his cape around him. Penny swung her swords at the woman. Pyrrha’s discuses shot toward Blake.

Taurus stepped into Ruby’s space. Pyrrha’s discuses bounced into Blake and sent her sprawling. She scrambled to her feet, shoved Ruby out of the way of Taurus’ sword and Blake screamed as the blade sliced through her shoulder. The smell of blood hit the open air.

Three seconds had passed. James saw the Lieutenant get back to his feet.

“Pyrrha, the Lieutenant,” he called. He charged for Taurus.

Then, “ _On your knees.”_ The words rocked his world. He stumbled. Dropped. Couldn’t move. The earbuds weren’t working. His metal coating had to be blocking the frequencies.

_No._

He watched, helpless, as Taurus brought up his sword and swung again and again, dancing closer and closer to Yang, who darted back as fast as she could. Ruby got to her feet and yelped. Ran to Yang and pulled her out of the way.

Penny shrieked behind him. He couldn’t turn his head. One of Pyrrha’s discuses stuck in the wall. Windows were still shattering.

His legs came back. He got up, struggled. _Too slow._

Adam’s next blow swung for Ruby. James heard Blake’s shout of “no!” just as Yang shoved Ruby out of the way.

Blood hit the floor. Screams pierced the air. Nevermore roared and then he was gone. Reappearing in a flare of feathers and smoke next to Yang, who was now missing her right arm below the elbow.

“Let’s go!” roared Nevermore. James got to his feet, shouted for Penny and Pyrrha. He pulled out a smoke bomb and slammed it into the ground. The six – Yang in Nevermore’s arms – ran for the exit.

James heard a shout and spun just in time to see Taurus raise his sword against Blake. He shot out the prods of his Taser, catching Taurus in the side. Taurus stumbled. James darted in, scooped Blake up in his arms, and took off out of the warehouse.

“She needs a hospital,” said Nevermore. James nodded. Punched in Hummingbird’s info.

“Get here, now,” he said into the Scroll. Yang screamed and James saw the wound start to knit itself closed.

Behind them, the warehouse started to smoke and all evidence of their failure, Taurus, and the woman, went up in flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love! And I love getting them!


	3. Act Two: Part Two: Blake Belladonna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, two weeks later we have the end of act two. This thing is a little over 16,000 words long, which makes it only a bit shorter than the _entirety_ of act one. Is this what is called series creep? Or sequel creep? I have no idea. But it's definitely getting longer as we go. I only hope that act three won't have to be split as well, because I really want to finish this out this month.
> 
> Loved all the feedback from the previous chapter, and I'm really glad everyone is thinking so hard about this story and enjoying it so much. I hope this part lives up to the hype, and there are a lot of twists and turns that none of my readers know anything about. Heh.
> 
> Also: this part has the E rated scene in it. You are free to skim/skip over that part when you hit it, as the plot relevant stuff happens before that starts and after the next scene break. Though I do recommend you try, if you want, as there are some important emotional points near the end.
> 
> Cheers, y'all! And stay tuned for the final act coming soon!

December hit with all the force of a winter snowstorm, and James hadn’t been prepared, to say the least. His world became a mess of paperwork, preparations, and false leads. He scarcely had time to himself. The Guild needed help with this woman – they’d taken to calling her Autumn, it was fairly obvious that she was one of the Four, now – the company needed help with research and development, and, of course, there was the small matter of Pyrrha Nikos’ living arrangements.

Sometime in the second week of December, amidst the endless paperwork and more endless dead ends in his work as General Steel, his fostering of Pyrrha was approved and she moved into his estate.

Sini Vasilias drove her there that morning, and when James came down his steps to greet her, Pyrrha’s bags were spread around her like so many fallen foes.

“Pyrrha,” said James. “I’m so glad you agreed to this. It’s been a long time since I lived with anyone.” College, if he was honest. He’d had roommates then, just before everything had changed and he’d taken off into the night.

Pyrrha nodded, her eyes tight and her lips pressed into a thin white line. James frowned, his gaze catching Sini’s as she got back into the car. She shrugged, mouthed “good luck” and drove off.

And then it was just the two of them and a bunch of bags, the snow falling softly from the sky.

James cleared his throat. “Let me help you with those.” He came down the steps and picked up most of the bags, letting Pyrrha grab two that she seemed particularly attached to, and led her into the house.

He’d spent a good two hours tidying up where he could. Glynda had once told him that he should think about hiring a butler of some sort, but James had thought it inappropriate. He didn’t want to keep secrets from someone working for him, nor did he want to trust his secrets with a stranger.

Besides, he was more than capable of being independent. He’d been on his own for almost twenty years, after all.

“If you need anything, please, don’t hesitate to let me know,” he said, leading Pyrrha up the stairs to her bedroom. He’d picked one on the same floor as his own, down the hall but separate. Still close enough if she needed anything, however. The rest of the bedrooms were closed up, maintained for dust and little else.

She peered into the room, with its beachy colours and soft fabrics, and James saw her smile.

“It’s lovely, thank you,” she said. They stacked up her bags in the room, several of them on the large, four poster canopy bed. Pyrrha sat down on the edge of the bed, hugging herself.

“Are you all right?” asked James. He kept his voice soft and crouched in front of Pyrrha, making himself shorter than her sitting form.

She nodded, lips still pressed together. “This is all a very big change.” Her gaze was distant, staring into the patterns of the duvet. “There have been a lot of changes, lately.”

“Indeed,” said James. He climbed up onto the bed and sat down in front of Pyrrha, keeping a few inches between them. “But not all changes are bad. I wasn’t much older than you when I lost my parents. I know you can get through this.” He offered her a weak smile and Pyrrha looked up at him her green eyes shimmering. “And it’s okay to be upset.”

Pyrrha nodded. “I am. But I’m… working through it.” She took a deep breath.

“If you need me, I’m here,” said James. He wouldn’t allow her to fall into the mourning he had. It wouldn’t be right, not when he could help keep her safe.

“I’m also worried about the girl from the warehouse,” said Pyrrha. “Yang.”

James nodded. Last time Pyrrha had seen Yang, she’d been carted into the emergency room, one arm missing and body half covered in blood. He rested one hand on Pyrrha’s bed and, hesitantly, brushed a hair from her face. When she smiled at him, he let his hand rest on her shoulder.

“I can’t stop thinking about her, or the woman, or _Taurus_ ,” said Pyrrha. The last word was spoken with a grimace, her face wrinkling and her eyes growing dark. “And there was that symbol in the warehouse. The same one at the… at the convention hall.” A catch. A shiver. James wondered how much she knew about the circumstances of her parents’ death. He’d never asked.

Maybe he should have. But now was not the time.

“I assure you, Yang is getting the best medical attention that money can afford,” said James. And she was. He’d called the hospital and arranged to pay for all her medical bills, arranged to ensure she was given everything she needed. Medication, treatment, therapy, and, in time, an option for an Ironwood patented prosthetic. If she so chose, that was.

“And you’re certain I can’t call her?” asked Pyrrha. She rubbed one of her arms, gaze darting away from James.

James sighed. “The problem with having secret identities, Pyrrha, is that often we see things in one life that we cannot touch with the other.” He stood, not removing his left hand. “Until we are told that she is in the hospital, we can’t do anything like this.”

“And what about as heroes?” asked Pyrrha. She looked up at him, a fire building behind her eyes in sharp waves of determination. It was a look James knew too well.

It was a look he’d seen in the mirror, when he’d been only a few years older than her.

“We find Taurus, we find the woman, and we bring her to justice,” said James. “And that starts on the Beacon, with questioning and grunt work.”

Pyrrha stood. “Do you think she’ll finally talk?” she asked.

“I do,” said James.

Pyrrha gave a sharp nod, her eyes on James’. “I’m coming with you.”

He smiled. “Of course,” he said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

* * *

Blake Belladonna had been held on the Beacon since the day James had carried her out of the warehouse. For the most part, Hummingbird had attended to her, as she’d sustained heavy injury while fighting in the warehouse. But, as she healed, she’d refused to speak. At least until they could prove Taurus couldn’t get to her on the Beacon.

Two days ago, she’d finally relented. And, today, James finally had a chance to question her.

He left Pyrrha out in the hallway, despite her protests. It had only been a short while ago that the two had been on opposite sides. He didn’t want to put Blake ill at ease by having Pyrrha in the room. Besides, Blake had already opened up to him once. He only hoped that she’d do it again.

He sat across from her in the infirmary, perched on an uncomfortable, slightly too small, plastic chair. Blake sat in the bed, legs stretched out in front of her beneath the thin blanket. Her ears twitched atop her head. They swivelled and curled back with every sound.

James gaze went to the White Fang brand on her left arm. To the purple lines that spread out around it. A week without Dust and her body was still fighting it. If anything, injury had aggravated the withdrawal. And, based on her blood tests when she’d first arrived, she’d been packed full of enough Dust for another week of symptoms.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. It was a loaded question. She wasn’t going to be honest. She hadn’t been honest about her health since she’d gotten into the Beacon.

“Fine,” said Blake. She twitched. Shivered. Hugged herself. “Just fine.”

“Blake,” started James.

But Blake cut him off. “Her name is Cinder Fall.” The words hung between them, shaky and sudden. James closed his mouth and leaned forward. As much as he wanted – _needed_ – to make sure Blake was all right, he also needed answers.

Besides, she wasn’t going anywhere. And her charts were infinitely more honest than her mouth.

“The woman with the powers, her name is Cinder Fall. I. I’m not sure what she is.” She wrinkled her face, eyes squinting at her clenched hands in her lap. “She’s not a second level Anomaly, I know that much.”

“Magic,” supplied James, with only a touch of hesitation.

Blake’s bloodshot and golden gaze snapped to him. The pink scar on her lip trembled. Her dark hands clenched further against the sheets. “It’s real?” she whispered.

James thought about the Wizard. About their war against the witch. About Salem and the Four and the Beacon. “Unfortunately,” he said.

Blake nodded and continued. “Adam and the White Fang had a deal with her – a Dust deal. She had Dust; we have manpower.” Blake shrugged. “It seemed like a fair trade. Her supplies, our men. She even gave us the new masks.”

James nodded. He remembered them. The stylized red against the white masks had been recent.

“But over time, we stopped being activists,” said Blake, slowly. She drew her legs up and hugged herself. Revealed a thin line of scars along her side as her shirt rode up. “We started becoming terrorists. And Adam…” She flinched, grimaced, blinked hard. “He became a monster.”

James clasped his hands in front of him, trying to look as soft as he could despite his harsh exterior. “You knew him… before?”

Blake let out a sharp, bitter laugh and curled tighter after her raised legs. “I’m starting to wonder if there _was_ a before.” She sniffled. Tiny and vulnerable and so, so young. “Maybe I was just blind to what he was,” she whispered.

“His Anomaly allows him to do terrible things, Blake,” said James.

She laughed again, sharp and sudden and teary eyed. “He didn’t use it on me, at first.” She wiped the back of her hand over her eyes and sniffled. “I thought that made me special. But I was wrong.” She sniffled again. “ _God_ , how could I be so stupid?”

“He’s a manipulator, Blake,” said James. “Even without his Anomaly, he’s capable of that.”

She nodded, eyes distant. “The White Fang is going to keep working with Cinder,” said Blake. She clenched her hands into the sheets again. Her cuticles had split open in places again. Blood freckled the sheets around her fingers. “If you can track them, you can find her.” Her eyes were dark. “And you can stop Adam.”

“Do you know what they’re planning?” asked James.

Blake let out a skeptical huff, lips twisted into a self-deprecating grimace. “I don’t think even Adam knows what she has planned. He’s too blind to his own goals.” Her gaze unfocused, falling to the sheets. “He’s going to kill again. And soon.” She shook her head, lip trembling. “I don’t know… I just don’t know.”

James rested his hand on the sheet by her hand, careful not to touch her. “We’ll figure this out, I promise,” he said softly.

“There was… something else,” said Blake, voice horribly slow.

“Oh?” asked James.

Blake shook her head, lips pressed tightly together. “I don’t think Cinder is the only one Adam is working with. There was someone else. A woman, I think.”

“Do you remember what she looked like?” asked James.

Blake’s gaze grew haunted. “She had red, red eyes,” she whispered. “And she radiated so much power and hatred…” Her lip trembled. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them tight, resting her chin on them. “I don’t think she was human.”

James nodded. “Thank you,” he said, softly. He filed her words away for future studying. “Just one last question, I promise.” Blake looked at him expectedly, her golden eyes bloodshot and exhausted.

 “Do you have any idea where I can find the White Fang and Cinder?” asked James.

Blake looked at him, her expression haunted. There was something in that gaze – distant and horrified – that made James swallow hard and wish he’d never let Taurus get back to her. “Where better to find the scum of the earth, then in the filth beneath the streets?”

* * *

Nevermore was on their rooftop, hidden amongst the crouching stone statues with his cape billowing around him. James cleared his throat as he approached, all too aware of how silent he could be, even covered in metal and with thick boots.

The tension across Nevermore’s shoulders transformed him into a creature of the night. His shadowed form turned and his cape billowed out in the wind, tripling his size even as his shadow grew him further. He said nothing, only let out a low growl that made James take a step back.

“Nevermore?” he asked, hands raised in surrender.

“The Guild has kids on it.” There was no question in Nevermore’s voice. No emotion at all, in truth. It was as though he was reading off a grocery list. If not for the way his body shifted – like a puppet with its strings freshly cut – James never would have been the wiser.

“They’re in training. They aren’t active Guild members,” said James.

“Yet,” finished Nevermore.

James winced. “Yet,” he agreed. If the Wizard had their way, anyway. James never wanted Pyrrha and Penny to be put in harm’s way. But they were powerful, incredibly so, and the Wizard didn’t seem to have much of a conscious about child soldiers anymore.

“Why train them?” asked Nevermore. He folded his arms, shoulders up by his ears and entire body coiled tight and ready to pounce. “They’re _children_.”

“They’re Anomalies,” said James. “Two girls who have incredible power that they don’t understand. What else am I supposed to do?” His voice was tight, one arm thrown out to the side. And who was Nevermore to talk? Ruby and Yang had obviously followed _him_ to that warehouse.

Nevermore snarled, stepping forward again. The red of his lenses positively pulsed in the faint moon light. Almost full, partially shattered. “You tell them bedtime stories!” shouted Nevermore. “You tell them their powers will be around long after they grow up, and you promise to keep them safe. You don’t send them into an active war zone.” He growled, hands coming up to comb through hidden hair. His fists clenched half an inch above his head, then quickly dropped to his sides.

“And when that fails?” asked James. “When trauma drags those powers out and they’re left screaming as they tear themselves apart? What do I do then, Nevermore? Do I tell them fairy tales then?” His voice dropped to a snarl, teeth bared despite the metal all around him.

Nevermore growled. “You know _nothing_ about trauma.”

James stepped forward, Nevermore twisted around, his back to the brick wall against the rooftop entrance. “I know more than you can _imagine._ ”

Nevermore glared up at him, teeth similarly bared and fists tight against his sides. His lenses pulsed with his erratic heartbeat. “What? You got some orphan sob story too?”

James slammed Nevermore into the wall. Held him up a few inches so that their faces were level. Stepped in close to hold him up with his arm across Nevermore’s throat.

“You aren’t the only person to ever feel pain!” snapped James. “You don’t have some monopoly on mourning.”

“There’s a difference between mourning and training child soldiers.” Nevermore’s red lenses flashed and darkened to blood. “You should learn it.”

“And _you_ shouldn’t talk about things you don’t understand,” growled out James. Nevermore snorted, reached up, and grabbed the back of James’ head. And then, with a snarl that had James baring his teeth, he dragged James forward into a bruising, searing kiss.

James faltered, mouth falling open in surprise, and Nevermore took the opportunity to shove his tongue into James’ mouth and plunder it with all the force of a hurricane.

James shoved him back, eyes narrowed. His cheeks were hot beneath his coating. His entire body tense and his arm across Nevermore’s throat fell away until he held Nevermore up by his right hand on one of his shoulders.

“…What did you just…?” James shook his head. Trying to clear his thoughts. The red of Nevermore’s lenses faded to rust. He paid it little mind. “Why?”

Nevermore shrugged. Still pinned to the wall. Still staring up at him. “Wanted to. You got a problem with that?”

James faltered. “Not really,” he said, before he could think about it. “But we’re in the middle of something.”

Nevermore chuckled. Dug his fingers as hard as he could into James’ metal neck. “Yeah, we are,” agreed Nevermore, and he dragged James in for another kiss. This time, James responded. Shoved Nevermore hard into the brick of the rooftop entrance and dug his fingers into his cowl. Growled low in his throat.

Nevermore groaned, hips twitching into James’. His interest already evident.

James freed his hands long enough to tap one of his wristbands, drawing the metal off his lips so that he could kiss Nevermore properly. Nevermore groaned, hands sliding along his metal shoulders. He took one hand off James to reach down and undo his armoured pants. Shoved down the front of them so that he could grip himself.

James swore at the view. At the dark head of Nevermore’s cock as he gripped it through his glove. James tapped his wristband again, drew off the metal around his hips. Undid his pants and yanked out his shining metal cock.

Nevermore groaned. “Fuck, you an android or something?” His voice was low and raspy, broken in ways that made James’ cock twitch.

“More like a cyborg,” said James. He leaned in and nipped at Nevermore’s exposed jaw. “Only half metal, after all.”

Nevermore dug into his belt with his free hand, cursing, and yanked out a packet of lube and a condom.

“Boy scout,” muttered James against Nevermore’s mouth.

“Always be prepared,” Nevermore shot back. He gasped as James grabbed at the lube and tore it open. He dropped the metal on his right hand, yanked off the glove with his teeth, and coated his fingers. Nevermore scooted up on the wall, threw his legs around James’ waist, and clung to his shoulders. His pants were shoved down far enough that James got his arm underneath Nevermore with little difficulty.

He chuckled against Nevermore’s jaw, one hand planted on the wall beside Nevermore’s head, and slipped in two fingers in quick succession. Worked Nevermore open fast and hard, leaving little room for adjustment as Nevermore swore and shuddered against his shoulder, hanging on tightly.

“Oh shit,” breathed Nevermore.

“How much prep do you need?” asked James.

Nevermore groaned, head falling back against the brick wall. “Too much,” he muttered. “Been too long. Just forget it and get in me. I’ll live.”

James’ fingers faltered. “You’re sure?”

“Yes,” said Nevermore, voice tight. “I’ve had worse. C’mon, c’mon.”

James nodded. “All right.” He withdrew his fingers and tore open the condom. Took his hand off the wall to roll it onto his cold dick and then slicked it up as well. Glanced at Nevermore who was watching him, his rusty lenses solid now.

He planted his hand on the wall again, hefted up Nevermore’s ass, and then slid in with one smooth motion. They both groaned, foreheads pressed together for a minute. Then James was thrusting, hard and fast, into Nevermore, and Nevermore was bouncing on his cock, hands gripping his metal shoulders. His own cock bounced between them.

Their hips snapped and their bodies shook. They cursed and Nevermore buried his face into James’ unforgiving shoulder. James’ head fell just to the side of Nevermore’s. He thrust his hips as hard as he could. Rolled through the heat that swept through his body. Slammed unforgivingly into Nevermore until Nevermore was cawing his name, hands knuckle-white tight against him beneath those damned gloves.

And it was never going to last long, not with both of them so keyed up and so out in the open, despite the privacy the rooftop provided them. So when the end came, sharp and hot, James pressed his hand tight into the wall, grit his teeth, and gripped Nevermore’s hip tight enough to bruise.

And then he was reaching between them. Grabbing Nevermore’s cock with his metal hand and jerking it until Nevermore shouted as well, spilling over them both.

They stood like that, for a while, their breathing the only immediate sound. Around them, the city moved, the people lived, and the world turned. And Nevermore rested his forehead on James’ shoulder. And James rested his forehead on the brick wall next to Nevermore’s head.

They panted and they clung and they said nothing. And James wasn’t sure if it was because there was nothing to say, or if it was because neither one of them wanted to be the first to break the tension and admit to what had just happened.

* * *

Despite his busy schedule and the impending doom that was Adam Taurus and Cinder Fall, James found time to visit Yang in the hospital.

He mostly managed to keep what had happened between himself and Nevermore out of his head. It was a hard fight, one that he lost more often than not, but he was determined not to let his thoughts of Nevermore, hard and hot against him, cursing and groaning as James thrust into him…

James shook his head, cheeks heated as he stepped into the hospital elevator. So much for keeping Nevermore out of his head.

He managed to get himself under control by the time he stepped off the elevator and onto the pediatric ward. He walked up to the nurses’ station and smiled warmly at them.

“I’m looking for Yang Xiao Long,” said James.

“Name?” asked the nurse, not looking up from her computer.

“James Ironwood,” said James.

The woman’s hands on the keyboard stopped. Slowly, ever so slowly, the nurse’s gaze rose up to meet James’. He smiled at her.

“Hi,” he said, brightly.

“Mr. Ironwood,” said the nurse, her eyes growing wide. She straightened up enough for James to read her name tag – Emrys.

“Hello, Emrys, is it?” he asked, trying the pronunciation out.

She nodded, vigorously. Her hands scrambled across the computer, trying to grab at papers and sending them scattering. She muttered “shoot” under her breath and dove for them, banging her head off the desk as she came back up.

“I’m sorry, I just. Wow. I can’t believe it’s really you.” She was grinning as she spoke, a light in her eyes that made James smile warmly. “Who are you looking for again?”

“Yang Xiao Long,” said James. He leaned against the station, a warm smile on his face. “I should be on her file. I’m… paying her medical bills.”

Emrys lit up like a Christmas tree, so to speak, though in a much less literal way than Penny tended to. “Of course! Wow, that’s so nice of you. Do you know her very well?”

“In a matter of speaking,” said James. “I’m closer to her uncle.” Sort of, anyway. His relationship with Qrow was… complicated, to say the least.

“Wow,” said Emrys again, and James swore she had tiny hearts in her eyes. “She’s in room five-oh-nine, Mr. Ironwood.”

“Thank you, Emrys,” he said. He nodded to her and straightened up, heading down the hall to the room Yang was in. Just before he was out of earshot, he heard Emrys sigh “wow” again.

He shook his head, a soft smile on his face, and kept on down the hall. Room 509 was near the end of this particular branch.

As he walked, he noticed most of the rooms were occupied, and, when he peered into one, his heart stopped in his chest.

The room had four beds, as opposed to two, and all four beds held a young woman hooked up to a myriad of machines. The four appeared to be unconscious, and IVs dripped down into their bodies. James checked the next room, and the next. While the number of women varied, all the rooms were filled. And he didn’t think any of them were over eighteen.

He leaned hard against the wall near room 509. Took a few deep breaths to steady himself. The sickness, this _blight_ , whatever it was, was spreading. He wondered if the entire ward was full. If Yang had a room to herself or if she was sharing rooms.

He swallowed and rubbed a hand over his face. He needed to get in touch with Nevermore. He needed to grab the Guild. They needed to figure out what was going on. But first, he needed to make sure Yang was all right.

Knocking lightly on the door, James stepped into the room. Yang was laying in the bed, the only bed in the room, fast asleep. She looked pale, IV attached to her remaining hand, and she shivered in her sleep. In the window seat, bathed in the midafternoon winter sunlight, was Ruby Rose. Her silver eyes stared at Yang with more than a touch of concern.

“Hi, Mr. Ironwood,” said Ruby, smiling at him. There was a touch of sadness around her eyes that made James’ heart pang. She and Yang never should have been in that warehouse. Never should have been part of that fight.

And James still hadn’t gotten a chance to ask Nevermore why they’d been there. Not that he’d seen Nevermore since… well, since.

It didn’t add up.

“Hello, Ruby,” said James. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m fine,” said Ruby. She shrugged, hugging her knees. “Worried about Yang, but the doctors say she’s recovering as well as can be expected.” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know what that means, though.”

James sat down in one of the chairs – cold and plastic – next to Ruby. “It mean she’s healing,” said James. “Your sister she’s… different, isn’t she?”

“Yeah,” said Ruby. “They put that on her file too. She heals. And they think that’s messing up how she’s recovering.” She frowned, horribly solemn for such a young girl. Twelve years old, James thought, and already with a horrible burden on her shoulders.

“She seems to be recovering nicely,” said James. He tried not to think too much about how pale Yang looked. About the shivers that racked her body like they racked the unconscious girls in other rooms. “But what about you? Do you feel… sick? At all?” He mind was awash with thoughts of the girls in the ward. Of their unconscious faces and grey, sweaty skin.

Ruby wrinkled her brow at him, head cocked to one side and eyes narrowed. She looked a bit like a puppy, if James was honest. A wide-eyed puppy with nowhere to go. “Yeah, I’m okay. Why?”

“There’s been an illness going around adolescent women,” said James. _Truth._ “I thought perhaps it had something to do with… hygiene products.” _Lie._

Ruby blinked. She mouthed “hygiene products” before her face lit up in realization. “Oh you mean…” She stopped and shook her head. “I um, don’t have mine yet. Yang does though, you should probably ask her when she wakes up.”

“I will,” said James. “Thank you.” Yang’s pallor was similar to that of the girls’ he’d seen earlier. But Ruby seemed perfectly fine. What was the difference? Surely, there had to be something.

“Hey, Jimjam,” said a soft voice from the door. James turned to see Qrow leaning against it. Taiyang scooted in past him, flashing a smile at James as he took a seat next to Yang’s bed and grasped her left hand. “C’mere.”

James got up and walked out of the room, pressing a comforting hand to Taiyang’s shoulder as he went.

“How’re you holding up?” asked James.

Qrow shrugged. “Been better. But I’m still better than Tai.” Qrow’s gaze darted passed James and back toward the room. He shook his head. “I just can’t believe what happened to her.”

“Me neither,” said James. He knew the official story, the one that hospital had given him when he’d paid for her treatments. Yang had been attacked by Adam Taurus while she and her sister were out late one night. He’d cut off her arm when she’d tried to defend herself and left her for dead. If Ruby hadn’t called Qrow, neither one would have made it out alive. “But she’s strong, she’ll get through this.”

Qrow slumped against the wall, looking horribly vulnerable as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah,” he said. “I hope so.”

Hesitantly, James reached out and brushed Qrow’s bangs from his eyes. Qrow looked up at him, something soft in his rusty eyes that James couldn’t place. He stepped forward, one hand resting on James’ chest, and leaned up.

They hovered like that for a minute, lips half an inch apart. Then, Qrow pulled back, biting his lower lip.

“I can’t,” he said, quietly. “I need to be there for Tai right now.”

James swallowed and licked his lips. “I understand,” he said, just as soft. He cupped Qrow’s face, fingers darting out to brush back his hair again. When Qrow didn’t protest, James leaned forward and pressed a kiss into his hair. “Take care, Qrow. I need to get back to work.”

“You too,” mumbled Qrow, as James stepped back. He smiled, chest a little tight, and headed back down the hall. He had work to do. Work that couldn’t wait any longer.

* * *

James and the White Queen scoured the docks for any sign of the White Fang that night, doing great sweeps through the maze of shipping containers before heading out to the water to scan that as well. White Queen’s constructs shifted away whatever they needed, creating platforms for her to climb around on to check the angles and crannies that James couldn’t reach.

“Still nothing?” he called up to her.

“Nothing,” she called back. She shook her head, leaped off the container, stacked three high, and touched down in front of James.

“You know, I hear those landings are hard on your knees,” said James. White Queen rolled her eyes behind her stylized mask, the purple glow one of the few points of colour in the area.

“I’m sure,” she said. “What’s your excuse?”

“Made of metal,” replied James, a teasing tone in his voice. He switched back to something more serious as he looked to the warehouse. “We should check those, too. That one used to be Taurus’ hideout.”

White Queen nodded and took point, already marching toward the warehouse with purpose. James shook his head. The woman walked like a runway model who had spent years in the Special Forces, a strange combination of power, beauty, and determination that always boggled his mind.

The outfit was probably meant to emphasize that, actually, especially considering the way the capelet fluttered and shifted to emphasize every shift of her shoulders. It was the opposite of Nevermore’s outfit in many ways. His was meant to allow him to disappear, to become one of the shadows in the night that struck fear into the hearts of criminals. The White Queen’s, on the other hand, transformed her into a beacon of light and hope. A sparkling, elegant swan that was oft underestimated.

It was a strange contrast, one that had James tilting his head and watching the White Queen as they strode toward the warehouse.

Inside, it was as dirty and empty as James remembered it. The beds were still there, as were a handful of other items, but all that remained of the maps and plans were ashes, scattered like dust across the scorched table and dirty, concrete floor.

“This is where they lived,” said White Queen. There was no confusion, no question in her voice. Just a quiet resignation, an acceptance that was lightly glossed with a sigh. “What did we do to drive them to terrorism, Steel?”

“We weren’t fast enough,” said James. “If we’d fought harder alongside them, helped them instead of opposed them…” He shook his head, his hand hovering just a bit off the ashes of the table. “They’re people, the Faunus. They deserve freedom just as we do.”

“Indeed,” said White Queen.

James narrowed his eyes at the scorch marks on the table. They were very… uniform. Almost like a carving and not just random burning. He brushed aside the ashes, letting them fall like snow to the concrete floor, and frowned.

Three sideways eyes, two smaller ones next to each other, connected by a line to a larger, central one. The same symbol from the convention hall. From Junior.

It was starting to turn up everywhere.

James snapped a picture of the symbol on his Scroll and turned to White Queen. She held up one of the masks that the White Fang wore. Stylized like the front of a brutish animal’s cracked skull, with red and black lines running across the front, ending at the eye holes.

“Why masks?” asked White Queen.

“So we don’t know who they are,” said James. “I suppose.”

Before they could discuss anything else, the White Queen’s Scroll went off. She dug it out and flicked open the call, frowning up at James.

“This is White Queen and General Steel,” she said.

Snow Pea appeared on the screen. “Sir, Queen, you need to return to the Beacon immediately,” she said. Her lips were pressed into a thin white line.

“Is there an emergency?” asked White Queen.

“In a way,” said Snow Pea. “The Wizard has fallen ill and is in the infirmary. They insist on speaking with you both at once.”

James and the White Queen looked to one another. The Wizard, ill? That simply wasn’t possible.

“We’ll be right there,” said James.

* * *

James and the White Queen hurried back to the Beacon. Once up there, Snow Pea led them to the infirmary, where all three of them paused. Perched on the end of the Wizard’s infirmary bed was Penny, her legs crossed and her hands on her ankles. Her eyes were glowing – faint, but there – and her Scroll floated in front of her, slowly rotating around her body.

The two were chatting, too low for James to hear, and James entered the room with soft feet and softer words.

“Wizard?” he said. He felt, more than heard, Glynda step in behind him.

Penny cocked her head toward him and smiled. “Hello, General Steel,” said Penny. Her Scroll flipped over and images appeared in the air. Rainforests, oceans, mountains, and deserts drifted lazily above the bed. “I was just telling Father about the diverse ecosystem of the Canadian wilds.”

“That’s lovely, Penny,” said James. He smiled. “And using the pictures I gave you, a nice touch.”

She beamed, the pictures spinning faster as her Scroll dropped into her hands.

“Penny, I believe General Steel and the White Queen need to speak with me alone,” said the Wizard.

Penny nodded and hopped off the bed, impossibly graceful and silent. “Yes, Father,” she said. She tapped the Scroll and all the images disappeared. She snapped a quick, bubbly salute to James, and then was gone from the room.

The door shut behind her, leaving the three of them alone.

“Does she even know you’re unwell?” asked James. His gaze finally found the Wizard properly. They were sans hat and sans hood, the sharp colours of the infirmary bathing them in mortal light. The green glow of their eyes was half faded, leaving flecks of grey washed brown to poke through. Their skin was pale, a handful of spindly purplish veins visible near their ears. And their hair, just barely grey toned white, stuck to their skin with sweat.

They looked as old, and as human, as James had ever seen them.

“To an extent,” murmured the Wizard, closing their eyes. “She does not need to know how weak I am, at the moment.”

“What happened?” asked the White Queen. “Wizard, you were fine this morning. What can do this to you?”

The Wizard chuckled, soft and low. “This morning, things were different. Very few things can do this to me – obsidian is one, the Four, the other.” James frowned. Obsidian? What did that have to do with anything?

Their eyes opened again. They stared, unseeing, at the ceiling tiles. The green flickered and faded a touch more. “The Summer Maiden is dead,” said the Wizard.

“What?” asked the White Queen, her voice sharp and eyes wide behind her mask. “One of the Four?”

“How?” asked James.

“How indeed,” said the Wizard. There was a pitch to their voice that made James recoil slightly. Memories flickered behind his eyes and he forced them back. He knew that voice. It was how the Wizard had recruited him. “It matters little, the point is that she is dead, and her power is looking for a host.”

The White Queen frowned. “Why hasn’t it chosen one yet?”

“The blight,” said James. When the Wizard and the White Queen both looked at him strangely, he grimaced. “That’s what I’ve taken to calling it. The illness spreading through young women across the country – and possibly the world.” He rubbed his face with one hand. “The powers of the Four go to young women, do they not?”

“Yes,” said the Wizard. “The power is looking for a suitable host. A woman – an Anomaly – strong enough to survive the transfer process and use the power to its full extent.” They closed their eyes again, grimacing. Their knuckles were white against the sheets. “With many of the strongest Anomalies eligible sick, the power cannot find a host. It will keep searching until it does.”

“What happens if it can’t?” asked James.

“Not an option, I’m afraid,” murmured the Wizard. Their voice was soft, hoarse. “The power will hunt until it finds a host, and if all eligible hosts across the globe are sick…”

“Then what?” asked the White Queen.

The Wizard opened their eyes. They were completely brown now. “Then it will find another member of the Four, and grant them both powers.”

James sucked in a breath. “Oh _no_ ,” he breathed.

“That’s not possible,” said the White Queen. “She can’t seriously believe she can get both powers, can she?”

“In theory or in practice?” asked the Wizard. They settled against the pillows again. “The powers of the Four stem from my own magic, I cannot predict them now that they are lost to me. When the first maiden died and her power did not return to me, I feared for the future of my magic.” They were silent for a moment, contemplating. “Each time one of the Four dies, I feel it.” The Wizard pressed their lips together. “And the longer the power remains without a host, the more it drains my own magic.”

“Which is why you’re sick,” said James. He sighed, softly. “What do we do?”

“There’s nothing you can do,” said the Wizard, closing their eyes. “We must simply wait it out and hope for the best. The Four are dangerous, and if their powers are allowed to run amok, it will destroy me.” The Wizard shook their head slightly. “When I realized this, years ago, I cloned myself with my magic in hopes of creating someone who could fight against the Four, should they go rogue, but the endeavour was moot. While we can absorb each other’s magic, the Fours’ magic cannot be absorbed by either of us.”

“Penny’s a woman,” said James.

“In mind, perhaps,” said the Wizard. “But I do not know if the powers of the Four will see her as such.”

James scoffed. “Well, if they’re anything like _you_ ,” he muttered.

“Steel!” said the White Queen, sharply.

The Wizard chuckled. “No, no, he’s right,” they said. “For someone who doesn’t subscribe to a gender myself, I certainly am quick to assign genders to other people.” They sighed. “I’m afraid it’s one of my many shortcomings, as of late.”

“Do you know where this… blight is coming from?” asked the White Queen, shooting a look at James. James fought the urge to roll his eyes. Always diplomatic, the Wizard, and he was still bitter about their previous interactions, as of late.

“No,” said the Wizard. “I had a theory, but little to prove it.”

“Theory?” asked James. “Surely it has to be connected to Cinder Fall.” It only made sense, after all. One of the Four dead, another evil. Surely the two were connected.

“Perhaps,” said the Wizard. “But I am unsure how she is accomplishing such a thing. If her Anomaly was related to illness, then perhaps…” They shook their head, slow and gentle.

“There’s no way an Anomaly would be that strong,” said White Queen, looking from James to the Wizard. “Not a first level one.”

“Besides, she’s glass, not sickness,” said James.

The Wizard sighed. “She could be that strong, if she uses her magic to enhance her Anomaly.”

“That’s possible?” asked the White Queen. There was a tightness in her voice that made James frown.

“Technically,” said the Wizard. “For Penny and myself, it is as simple as breathing. But for one of the Four? I am… unsure, to say the least.” They looked at James, eyes washed out and tired. “I do not know the powers of the Four any longer, not since they’ve started to shift between women. I cannot know where the blight is coming from, not without evidence.” Their eyes closed again.

James frowned and pulled out his Scroll, tapping it to reveal the symbol he’d taken a picture of back at the warehouse. He held it out. “What about this?”

The Wizard opened their eyes and squinted at the picture. They reached out, fingers shaking, and grabbed the Scroll, holding it close as their eyes went wide.

“Where did you find this?” they asked. Their gaze snapped up to James, voice going demanding. “ _Where?_ ”

“The old White Fang headquarters,” said James. “It was also on the convention hall, and an informant showed it to myself and Nevermore as well.” He ignored the curious cock of White Queen’s head at that last part. “What does it mean?”

 _“Salem_ ,” breathed the Wizard. “This is Salem’s mark.”

“What?” asked James. “How can that be her mark? I’ve been finding it wherever Taurus goes.”

The Wizard muttered something in a language James didn’t recognize, although he could make a decent guess at the translation.

“Taurus is working for her then,” said the Wizard. “And I believe it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say Cinder Fall is as well.” James remembered what Blake had said. Taurus and Cinder working together, the fact that they were going to move again, and soon. And the other woman she had seen. Could that be Salem?

But wasn’t Salem supposed to be locked away in a pocket dimension? Unable to take a physical form on Earth? It made no sense. Not with all the missing pieces.

“What about the symbol? Does it mean anything outside of being her mark?” asked James. He’d seen some similar symbols on the Beacon before. Protective spells that the Wizard inlayed right into the metal. Things that James didn’t quite understand. Perhaps this symbol allowed Salem to take a form, or something like it.

“Not that one,” said the Wizard. “But just as my symbols are capable of many things, so are hers. Be careful if you see any more like it.” James looked at the symbol again. Purple and red, vein-like, almost.

“I will,” he said. He turned and left the room, leaving the White Queen alone to speak with them. His mind was awash with thoughts he couldn’t quite control, and his gaze was unfocused as he moved.

Out in the hallway, he nearly tripped over Chlorophyll, who was leaning against the wall across from the door, hugging herself.

“It’s another of the Four, isn’t it?” she asked, sounding far too young and far too wise, all at once.

“Yes,” said James. “Summer died.”

“Or was killed,” muttered Chlorophyll. “The Wizard?”

“Sick, apparently from the shifting of the Four,” said James. He couldn’t pull the frustration from his voice. “Summer’s power cannot find a host due to all the sickness down in the world.”

“The blight,” said Chlorophyll. James started. She must have heard him say that, at some point. Or perhaps they were just on the same wavelength.

She shook her head. “Cinder Fall is rising. Almost poetic, in a way.” She snorted. “I don’t suppose we know what’s causing the blight?”

“Salem,” said James. “Or, at least that’s the assumption.”

Chlorophyll scowled at the floor. “So many assumptions, so little fact.” She clenched her fists against her folded arms. “Am I truly the only member of the Four you can track that isn’t… _evil_?” she asked.

James nodded. Winter was missing. Spring was on the Beacon. Summer was dead. And Autumn was Cinder.

“Fuck.” Her gaze found James’ through her mask. “How do we stop her?”

“I don’t know,” confessed James. He saw the shift in her body language a moment later. The way she got whenever she had an answer she didn’t want to give. “Amber.”

“ _James_ ,” she replied. Then, “I could stop her.”

“Amber, no,” said James.

“But I could,” said Amber. She straightened up, pushed off the wall and stared up at him. Through her stylized mask, he could see her copper eyes. Could see the fury and the passion that burned within them. “I’m a member of the Four. I have the power; I have the strength. I could find her and take her down – one on one, magic versus magic.” She clenched her fists at her sides. “I could do it.”

James frowned. “You could die.”

“So?” asked Amber. “Death is part of what we do, James. I… I could save everyone.” Her voice went soft. She stared at the floor. “I need to do this.”

“You’re not alone,” said James. “That’s why we have a team, that’s why the Guild exists. So that we’re _never_ alone.”

She looked at him, tears in her eyes. “I have power the rest of you don’t understand. I’m an Anomaly to begin with, and I’ve always been lucky. I can’t drag people into a fight that they won’t survive.” She swallowed. “Me? I can survive it. I know I can.”

He faltered and stared. Saw himself in her as she stood there, fists clenched and mind already made up. He saw himself, walking out of college, training his new Anomaly. Saw himself, staring down the White Queen as she ordered him into the old headquarters to speak with the Wizard. Saw himself, in the mountains, in the ocean, in the streets, in the dojos. Saw every moment he’d taken one look at death and gone “not today” since the day his parents died.

And he knew what he had to say.

“Go,” said James, quietly. He rested his left hand on her shoulder. “Do what you need to and come home safely. All right?”

She looked up at him, determination in her eyes bled through with quiet gratitude. “Thank you,” she whispered.

And she was gone, heading down the hallway and disappearing around a corner.

He only hoped she’d survive her internal battle, as well as the physical one she was walking in to.

* * *

“General Steel!” Snow Pea’s shrill voice cut through the harsh winter winds of Atlas City. James froze, entire body tense, and turned slowly. He’d been heading to the major sewer drainage pipes, the ones that led into the ocean. Nevermore was meeting him there, to scan the sewers like Blake had suggested.

“Snow Pea,” said James, trying to keep his voice light. “What can I do for you?”

“You know damn well what you can do for me,” snapped Snow Pea, fists clenched at her sides as she stalked up to him and glowered up their height difference. “What did you say to Chlorophyll?”

James’ eyebrows shot up, the gesture thankfully muted. Oh, he’d never heard this from Snow Pea before. He must really have upset her.

Which, in retrospect, was quite obvious, given her relationship with Chlorophyll.

“I didn’t say anything to her,” said James. “She had already made up her mind when she spoke with me, I just encouraged her to do what she thought was right.”

Snow Pea’s lip curled upward, revealing a perfect line of white teeth that seemed to glint in the moonlight. “You just sent her to her death.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, despite the anger threading through it. “When we find her body – presuming that _witch_ leaves one – that will be on you.” She clenched her fists to her sides and looked him dead in the eye. “I hope you know that.”

James narrowed his own eyes behind his coating, unable to find a way to reply without further upsetting her. Comfort or harsh words wouldn’t work. It would just leave her steaming and wanting to hurt him. If she wasn’t already debating summoning the largest predator she had to go after him.

“Steel!” The second voice came from behind him and James turned to see Nevermore striding up. Saw the shift in his head and his hips when he saw Snow Pea. Saw the slow curve of his smirk that made James swallow nervously.

“Well, well,” said Nevermore, voice just one side of a purr. “Who’s this? The ice queen?”

Snow Pea growled, quiet and barely there. “There is only one queen on the Guild, ruffian,” she snapped. She turned her attention back to James, who grimaced. “This is who you’ve been spending time with?” she asked, waving an arm at Nevermore. “This… this…”

“Renegade?” offered Nevermore.

“Renegade!” echoed Snow Pea, throwing her hands into the air. She paused, seemingly realizing who had spoken, and shot a glare at Nevermore, who only shrugged, still smirking. Perfectly casual, as always. “He is a thug and a menace to this city.”

“He’s been invaluable in my searches,” replied James.

“You’re making a mistake,” said Snow Pea, tightly.

“It’s been known to happen,” said James. He straightened his shoulders. “But I am your leader, and this is my call. If you disagree with it, you are more than free to do what you think will hunt down Cinder Fall.” Snow Pea looked away from him. “Am I understood, Snow Pea?”

She gave a terse nod while Nevermore gave a snorting laugh, prompting another scowl from Snow Pea.

“Is that _actually_ what you call yourself?” asked Nevermore, the grin evident in his voice.

“Yes, why?” asked Snow Pea, voice low.

“Oh, no reason,” said Nevermore, laughing. “I don’t even think I can nickname you, kid. That name is better than _anything_ I could come up with.”

She growled and James laid a hand on her shoulder. “Snow Pea, enough,” he said, a warning in his commanding tone. “The Wizard wants Nevermore on the team; you’d do well to respect that decision.”

With a soft sigh, Snow Pea nodded and straightened. “Yes, sir,” she said, lowly. She turned on heel and walked off, grumbling under her breath. That left the two of them alone as she returned from whence she came.

“The Wizard, huh?” asked Nevermore.

James grimaced and rubbed his face as he turned to face Nevermore. “Please tell me you’re not going to stalk off angrily,” said James. He’d dealt with watching too many retreating backs, lately. “You can’t possibly believe that’s the only reason I’m keeping you around.”

Nevermore shrugged, a quirk to his mouth that reminded James of a raised eyebrow. “Nah,” said Nevermore. “For one, you wouldn’t have fucked me into a wall if you were just here on orders.” His red lenses seemed to grow darker as he spoke, becoming blood tinged crimson. His vow dropped too, a slow curve to his lips drawing James’ attention far, far too closely.

James swallowed and fought the urge to lick his lips. “No,” agreed James. “I wouldn’t have.” He cleared his throat, grimacing again. “Shall we?” he asked, gesturing to the ten foot entrances into the sewers. And really, they were just excessive. Seven feet he could almost understand, for rain and melt purposes, but why make the drainage into the ocean even larger?

He really needed to talk to the city planners about the excessive use of piping beneath the city. Surely there was a better use for all this steel and concrete.

James and Nevermore walked side-by-side through the sewers, wading through the low levels of rain water and… other things that they occasionally came across. The sewers were largely silent, bar the handful of rats that screeched through from time to time and the drip-dripping of water from other run-off pipes.

“So, been a while,” commented Nevermore as they walked. He held a flashlight, swinging the beam from side to side. Blake had told James that the White Fang were in the sewers, but with the city so expansive, and the sewers lead-lined in places, it was impossible to get a close reading on where they could be. After several days of searching, James had managed to pin a handful of heat signatures within three miles of the entrance earlier that day. Hopefully, they’d still be there.

“It has,” agreed James. He hadn’t seen Nevermore since the night on the roof. Not in person, anyway, though Nevermore had haunted his dreams. His mouth, his hands, his voice. It all had been there. It had all woken James up in a cold, aching sweat more than once.

“You know,” said Nevermore, slowly. “I don’t regret what happened on that roof. We both wanted it, we both enjoyed it.” He looked up at James, his lenses going rusty. “Nothing wrong with that.”

“No, nothing at all,” said James. His heart tightened at the rust in those lenses. Hopelessly familiar without him knowing why. He cleared his throat before he could get lost in that gaze. “Though we never did resolve that argument.”

“No, we didn’t,” agreed Nevermore, softly. When he didn’t say anything else, James cleared his throat.

“Probably wasn’t terribly sanitary,” he said, trying to clear the tension.

Nevermore snorted, cowl shifting as he no doubt raised an eyebrow at James. “And this is?” he asked, gesturing to the sewers around them.

James tilted his head at Nevermore. “You aren’t suggesting we have sex in six inches of sludge, are you?” he asked.

“No,” said Nevermore. “Just pointing out that sanitation is relative, chief.”

James raised an eyebrow. “Chief?” he echoed.

Nevermore shrugged, folding his arms behind his head as he walked. “Can’t find a good nickname for you. I mean, other than Steel Cock.”

James snorted, loud and obnoxious, into the echoing tunnels. “Please don’t call me steel cock,” said James. There were a _few_ reasons why he didn’t want that as a nickname, not the least of which was because of how similar it was to his actual last name.

Which, really, was just unfortunate on so many levels.

“Not even alone?” asked Nevermore, a slight tease in his tone.

“No,” said James, but his voice was fond even as he denied it. “And who says we’ll be alone again?”

Nevermore looked around the sewer. Their feet sloshed through the water. “What do you call what we are right now?”

James rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean,” he said.

“I do,” agreed Nevermore. He nudged James’ hip with his own. The warmth was comforting, even beneath metal and Kevlar and cape. He smiled at Nevermore and Nevermore smiled back.

The two kept on through the sewers, occasionally chatting as they walked, but mostly keeping silent as they drew closer and closer to the location on James’ scroll. The longer they were in the sewers, the more solid the signal became, until James could confidently lead them both into the last tunnel before the hide out.

“We need to be on our guard,” said James. Nevermore nodded and flicked his wrists. The talons extended on his gloves, glinting faintly in the reflection of his flashlight. James flexed his hands, shifting into a defensive position as they continued forward.

As they did, the faint breeze within the sewers changed direction, and the awful, sickly-sweet smell of rot tore into James’ senses and left him breathless and choking.

He clapped a hand over his mouth, gapping and gasping as he stumbled backward. Nevermore swore and did the same, both of them bumping into each other as they stumbled.

“What _is_ that?” asked James.

Nevermore coughed hard enough that James worried he might vomit. “Death,” said Nevermore. “It’s death.”

They stumbled forward, hanging on to one another. Nevermore swore, dragging out a cloth from his belt and tying it around his face. He offered one to James who took it gratefully and tied it. Lavender flooded his senses, blocking out most of the death.

They turned the last corner and the world turned red with viscera. The sewer walls were painted red and black and white. The free-flowing sludge was stopped up around the bodies, letting only thing trails of drying red and crusting black mix with the brown-green-grey of the water beneath their feet.

And then there were the bodies – dozens of them, all in White Fang garb, all in masks, all torn to pieces. Some were missing limbs, some were missing their faces, but all were mauled, all were damaged, and some of them looked half-eaten.

“Oh dear god,” breathed James. The lavender held, only the faintest trickles of rot slipping through as they spoke.

“Look,” said Nevermore, grabbing his arm and pointing. James followed Nevermore’s finger to the wall above the bodies. Three eyes, all sideways, connected with thin red lines. It was painted in blood.

_Salem._

“We need to get out of here,” said Nevermore.

James nodded, even as he said, “But, the evidence.”

“See those teeth marks?” asked Nevermore. James saw. Teeth gouges bigger than his fist, in some places. Most of them were jagged and torn where the people had tried to fight back. “You know anything normal that makes those?”

“No,” said James.

“Neither do I,” said Nevermore. He looked up at James, lenses rusty. “And I’d really rather not be around when whatever did that comes back. Not until we know what it is.”

As if to punctuate his words, a great roar ripped through the sewers and a great shadow appeared on the far wall. Behind it was the shriek of metal on metal, and a light trail of sparks came around the corner. Nevermore and James looked at each other.

“Run?” asked James.

“Run,” agreed Nevermore. The two turned and bolted back through the sewers, splashing sludge and mostly-filtered sewage on their legs up to the knee. They didn’t stop until they were out in open air again, stepping away from the drainage pipes and breathing hard.

“The fuck was that?” asked Nevermore, tearing the cloth from his face. James pulled off his own and shook his head.

“I have no idea,” said James, tightly. “But it had to be six, seven feet tall.”

“You got sewer gators in Atlas?” asked Nevermore. There was an incredulous tone to his voice that made James swallow hard. He looked back at the drainage pipes. Looked at their gapping maws that would allow such a creature out into the world.

“We need to grate these pipes. I’ll call the White Queen, have her put something up,” said James. “And no, we don’t.” Over and over, Salem’s symbol, painted in blood, stared back at him in his mind.

Nevermore stretched, rubbing one hand over his face. His lenses were red again, and horribly pale. “Whatever Autumn wants…”

“Cinder,” said James. “Her name is Cinder Fall. Blake told me.”

Nevermore nodded. “What else she tell you?”

“That she and Taurus are working together on something big,” said James. “And, there was something else.” Nevermore’s cowl shifted like he was raising his eyebrows. “The Wizard isn’t human, you know that. You also know that magic exists, because you know about the Four.”

“Yeah,” said Nevermore. “I also know the Wizard wants me for something important, probably magic based, but I don’t know what.”

“Salem,” said James. At Nevermore’s confused lip purse he exhaled slowly. Rubbed his right shoulder with his left hand. “Salem is a witch. A monster trapped within the moon. The Wizard believes that, before spring fully takes hold, she will make her final move against the Wizard and the human race. The Wizard – they believe you can help.” He took a breath. “Blake told me she’d seen another woman with Taurus – one with red eyes that didn’t seem human. I think that’s Salem. She has to be getting stronger to be able to create an illusion on Earth like that.”

Nevermore leaned hard against the drainage pipe, a shaky breath slowly pushing out of him. “I’m just an Anomaly, Steel,” he said, voice raspy. “I couldn’t even protect the people I loved, when it came down to it.”

James stepped forward and rested a hand on Nevermore’s shoulder. “This isn’t on you, this is on all of us, that’s why the Wizard was recruiting teenagers. I am _completely against it_ , but we’re out of time. Christmas is in two days, and then we have a matter of three months, at most, before this all goes to hell.”

Nevermore sighed again, looking away. Rusty lenses again.

“Why were those girls – Ruby and Yang – with you that day at the warehouse?” asked James. “They weren’t your partners, that much was obvious.”

“I know their father,” said Nevermore. “I was talking to him, before I came after you. They must have followed me.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh, rubbing a hand over his face. “I didn’t even _notice_ them – how could I not _notice_ them?” He swore under his breath and stepped away from James. “Ever since Su- _Winter_ died, I’ve been trying to make up for it. Trying to make sure no one else gets hurt because of me.”

He clenched his fists. “I almost lost my Anomaly to that damned horror show. I need it to protect the people I love.” He looked up at Steel, lenses flickering red to rust to black and back again.

“I know something about atonement, Nevermore, that’s why I’m on the Guild,” said James. “None of this is your fault.”

“So people keep telling me,” he muttered. “If I’d been faster – stronger – then maybe I could have…” He rubbed at his face again, swearing. “They’d still be alive. They’d still be safe.” He was stumbling back to the past, mind consumed by memories. James knew that voice, that look. He’d seen it too many times recently. In the mirror, in Pyrrha, in Blake. Even in Amber, just before she left.

“There’s a reason I’m a vigilante, Steel,” said Nevermore. “A reason I’m not one of you mighty superheroes. I’ve let too many people die. Let too many people get hurt. And now you’re telling me about some witch that might be making it worse?” He gritted his teeth, swearing between them. “What do you want from me?”

“I want your help,” said James. “We can save the world; we can stop Salem. The Wizard knows how.”

“If the Wizard knows how, then why not do it themself?” asked Nevermore. He threw his arms wide. His cape billowed, doubling his size. “Why make us do it?”

“They’re not strong enough anymore,” said James. Nevermore seemed to deflate. “When they created the Four, it was to stop Salem, but it didn’t work, and they can’t reclaim that lost part of their power.” James licked his lips, useless as the gesture was. He tasted ash. “They cloned themself, as another solution, but it’s not enough. It was _never_ enough.” James reached out to Nevermore, only to have him back up. He retracted his hand. “That’s part of why the Guild exists, to stop Salem. To ensure she never gets to destroy the world.”

“But you’re not strong enough,” said Nevermore.

“Not without you,” said James.

Nevermore snorted. “You idiot,” muttered Nevermore. “What do you expect me to do? Just because I know about magic doesn’t mean I can fight it.” He glared up at James. “What are you supposed to do?”

James faltered. Grimaced. “I… I’ve seen magic before the Guild, just like you.”

“Just like me?” echoed Nevermore.

“I knew a member of the Four,” said James. “Before the Guild.” He rubbed his shoulder again, looked away from Nevermore and stared out at the water. In the night, it was black as ink and smelled strongly of salt. “The accident that took half my body was my fault. It killed fourteen people – the original Autumn being one of them.”

“…What?” asked Nevermore, voice tight.

James shook his head and folded his arms. Let his eyes trail across the marina. He looked at the boats. At the half-there stars that were largely blotted out by the city skyline. “When I met Autumn, the original Autumn, she was sick. She was dying. I thought if I could take the power out of her, I could save her.” He took a deep breath. “So I studied her and her magic. I built a machine meant to separate them. To save her while I could continue to study the magic.”

There was a long moment of silence in which neither made said nothing. James clenched his jaw and stared at the boats. At the marina on the other side of the docks.

“What happened?” asked Nevermore.

“We separated them,” said James. His voice was higher, tighter, as he said. He scoffed. “It wasn’t that simple though.” He could see it now, in his mind. The machines overloading, Autumn – her name had been _Akiko_ – screaming as her power tried to return to her body. The bright lights and screams and searing pain that whited out everything else.

“The machine overloaded,” said James. “It exploded. Took fourteen people with it, including Autumn.” _Akiko._ “I was sure it would kill me as well, but, instead I woke up, half dead and half gone.” He held up his right hand, aware of Nevermore’s eyes on him. “A scientist saved my life.” _Dr. Polendina_. James remembered his soft eyes and softer words as he’d fit James with experimental prosthetics. “But everyone else was gone.”

He took a deep breath. “That was… ten years ago,” finished James, quietly.

There was a long moment of silence. Then, “Did you say ten years?” asked Nevermore.

James turned to see Nevermore watching him with rusty lenses, arms folded tightly across himself. “Yeah,” said James. “January…”

“Fifteenth,” finished Nevermore, voice soft, disbelieving.

James nodded slowly. “Yes. How did you know that?”

“That’s the day Winter went down,” said Nevermore. “Her powers had been freaking out all day. She was way too powerful that day. Shouldn’t have been able to freeze all of Patch like that.” He shook his head, lips parted in disbelief. “It was you. Autumn’s death must have triggered something in her. Made her more powerful.”

James swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry,” he breathed. “I never thought… I just wanted to save her. I just wanted her to live.” His voice cracked on the last word.

“So did I,” said Nevermore. James took a step forward, only for Nevermore to step back. His phone beeped and Nevermore pulled out an old flip phone. “Your map translations will be done in a week or so,” said Nevermore. He wouldn’t look at James. “Then we can figure out what Cinder is planning with Taurus and take her down.”

“And what about us?” asked James, well aware of how young he sounded.

Nevermore sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “We take down Cinder, stop this witch, figure out everything else later,” he said. “I…” He grimaced, his voice hoarse. “I don’t know if you doomed her or saved me.”

“I’m sorry,” said James again.

“So am I,” said Nevermore. “You can’t change the past, General.” He took a step back. “I know that. You know that. But sometimes it takes time to get over it.” He turned, cape billowing to hide his figure. “See you around.”

And then he was gone, disappeared into the shadows as if he was one of them.

James took a deep breath and rubbed his face. He needed to deal with all of this – there was still more that Nevermore didn’t know. More than James wasn’t sure how to bring up. And James didn’t want the man running around in the dark.

His mind swarmed with old memories – things that made James want to curse and scream and beat his fists against a wall. And phantom pain spiked hard down his side at the memories and left him aching all over.

Later, he decided. He’d deal with everything later.

* * *

Christmas came two days later, and James was pleased to celebrate it with Pyrrha. He let her sleep in and made breakfast – French toast – and brought it up to her around nine. She giggled when he entered the room, a hand over her mouth and hair cascading around her.

“Why, I feel like a princess,” said Pyrrha as he set down the tray on her lap. “Merry Christmas, James.”

“Merry Christmas to you too, Pyrrha,” said James. “Now eat up, we’ve got presents to open, and then we’re doing dinner with Glynda and Penny.”

Pyrrha grinned. “That sounds wonderful,” said Pyrrha.

They ate in relative quiet, munching away at breakfast until the plate was empty but for a spot of syrup. As James moved the tray off of the bed, Pyrrha spoke.

“James? May I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” said James, turning to face Pyrrha. “What is it?”

“What’s your Anomaly?” asked Pyrrha. Her eyes went to the scar tissue visible in his v-neck, and then to his metal right arm.

“Super strength,” said James. He sat down on the bed again, one hand on Pyrrha’s knee. “And I got it the same way you got yours.”

Pyrrha frowned. “Not from the accident?”

“No,” said James. “Not from the accident.” He stood and held out his hand. “Shall we?”

Pyrrha allowed James to lead her downstairs to the modest Christmas tree and the stack of presents around it. Most of them were from well-wishers or members of the Guild – or the Vasilias’ – but a handful were from James to Pyrrha.

“I think this one is the one you’ll be most interested in,” said James, holding out a large, flat present to Pyrrha.

She smiled, curious, and opened it. As she did, James saw her eyes fill with tears. A hand flew over her mouth.

“Oh my god,” she breathed. James smiled, warm and comforting. In Pyrrha’s hands was a painting of her parents, hanging off one of their inventions and caught mid-laugh.

“I had it commissioned from a few pictures,” said James. “I thought you might want something to remember them at their best by.”

Pyrrha nodded, body trembling. “It’s beautiful,” she croaked.

James rested a hand on Pyrrha’s shoulders. “They’re gone, but not forgotten Pyrrha, and they won’t be, so long as you remember them.”

Pyrrha nodded and set down the picture before throwing her arms around James and burying her face in his chest. His shirt was getting wet, but he didn’t care. He wrapped his arms tightly around Pyrrha and pressed a kiss to her hair, stroking her back.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re very welcome,” murmured James. And he held her like that for a while and let her cry into his shirt.

* * *

James whistled to himself, hands in his pockets and costume off as he travelled through the Beacon to the training room. Pyrrha was there, training away with Penny and Glynda. He needed her for a final dress fitting for the New Years’ Gala he was hosting tomorrow.

Amber was still MIA, and, as much as that worried everyone on the Guild, the Wizard was starting to improve, which meant that none of the three remaining members of the Four had died recently. Though, that still left the question of what was going on with Summer’s power up in the air, and that made James frown and pause in his whistling. The blight was getting worse, he knew, and they were running out of leads. Hummingbird was trying to synthesize a cure, but, until they knew more about its origins, it was a lost cause.

James remembered the news report from the day before. A great deal of young women across the country were sick, but the news left out that it was almost exclusively Anomalies. He wondered if that was by design – and by which design, for that matter.

James entered the training room, shoving the thoughts aside until he could deal with them better. Immediately, the sound of fighting hit his ears.

In the centre of the training room were Blake and Pyrrha, darting around each other with dangerous purpose. James watched as Blake flipped over Pyrrha to slam a foot into her back. Pyrrha swung around, caught Blake in mid-air, and slammed her into the mats. A second later, Blake was on her feet again, rolling away from Pyrrha and darting to the side.

“They’re… sparring,” said James.

“Indeed,” said Glynda, walking up to him. “They needed it.”

Blake twisted around again, clumsy in her grace and without touching her Anomaly. James frowned. Pyrrha kicked out, caught Blake in the chest, and sent her flying. Blake rolled away from the next kick. Came back up onto her feet and slammed a hit between Pyrrha’s ribs. Pyrrha went down, one arm across her middle.

As Blake went to kick, Pyrrha released her middle and caught the leg. She jerked Blake hard and pinned her to the mats. Her hair hung in her face and she panted hard.

“That’s match,” said Pyrrha, her voice strained with her heavy breathing. She climbed to her feet and held out a hand to Blake. Blake frowned, but she took it and allowed Pyrrha to pull her up. “You fight well.”

“So do you,” said Blake. She turned, cat ears quirked on her head, and looked over to James and Glynda. “Hello.”

“Blake,” said James, warmly. “It’s good to see you up and moving.” She looked better. The purple lines of her Dust injection sites were still there, and the lines around her eyes had never vanished, but her skin was warm and dark again, instead of grey, and her eyes no longer looked quite as hollow.

“She’s been helping me train,” said Pyrrha. “We had a long lesson on the tactics of various White Fang members. I won’t be caught off guard again.” James nodded, lips pressed tightly together when he saw the fierce burn of determination in her green eyes.

They worried him, those eyes.

“Good,” said James. “I’m glad. Now, we have a dress fitting soon, so why don’t you go get changed?”

Pyrrha nodded but she hesitated for a moment and James saw the question in her eyes.

“Yes?” he prompted.

Pyrrha bit the inside of her cheek, chewing on it for a moment before she spoke. “The blight is getting worse, is it not?” she asked.

“Yes,” said James. “Why?”

“Why isn’t it affecting us?” she asked, gesturing to herself, Blake, and Penny, who wandered up at that moment.

“I don’t know,” said James.

“I’m a Dust addict,” said Blake. “Magic doesn’t want me.”

Pyrrha frowned. “That explains you – and I can understand why Penny isn’t sick, because she’s magic to begin with.” She turned her attention back to James. “But what about me?”

“Maybe you just haven’t caught it yet,” said Blake. “It’s magic.” She shrugged. “If we could predict it, Cinder wouldn’t be running around.”

Pyrrha scowled. “And she won’t be, for long. For what she did to my parents? I’ll kill her.”

Blake cocked her head to one side. “Cinder… didn’t kill your parents,” she said slowly.

“What?” asked Pyrrha. Her voice was tight and high, eyes growing wide as she looked at Blake. James swallowed. _Oh no_.

“Adam did,” said Blake. “The convention hall was _Adam’s_ idea.” Her words were slow, hesitant. As though she wasn’t sure she was supposed to be saying them. She glanced from James to Pyrrha and back again. “Cinder only helped with the fire. I thought you knew that.”

“No,” said Pyrrha. Her voice trembled and so did her lower lip. Tears sprung to her eyes. “No, I didn’t. And he was in the warehouse when…” The metal around them started to screech. James grabbed at his arm as a sharp pain went through it. “Taurus… He. He killed them. He killed them and I _let him get away_.” Her voice rose to a snarl and then twisted into a broken sob. She grabbed at the sides of her head and went down on her knees.

The Beacon creaked. Metal tore itself from the walls. Pyrrha sobbed. “I let him _get away_!”

James was on his knees in the next instant, pulling Pyrrha close and hugging her tight to his chest. “It’s not your fault,” he whispered. “It’s not your fault.” She screamed and beat against his chest. He felt his metal parts creak. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”

“I’ll kill him,” whispered Pyrrha. “I’ll kill him for what he’s done to me.” James pressed a kiss to Pyrrha’s hair and tried not to take her words to heart. “I’ll kill him.”

James held her close and whispered comforting words into her hair. He told her that it wasn’t her fault. That she couldn’t have known. That he would protect her.

She was fifteen. She couldn’t kill.

But he could.

* * *

The New Years’ Gala was a roaring success. People from all over the country had come to chat with James and ring in the new year in his ballroom. Even Qrow, who James had thought would spend the night in the hospital with Ruby, Yang, and Taiyang, had made it tonight.

Not that James had had a chance to talk with him, seeing as he’d been hit on by the same three women all night long. He’d politely steered them away on multiple occasions, but one of them kept coming back.

He just wasn’t sure how many ways he could tell her he wasn’t interested, politely. Nor was he sure how she knew everything about him, sans the fact that he was an openly gay man. Honestly, it was as frustrating as it was ridiculous.

“So,” said the woman, twirling a finger through a loose curl of hair. “You’re a weapons’ researcher?”

“Engineering and robotics,” said James. “We made a few things for the military, roughly fifteen years ago, but nothing since then.”

“Oh,” said the woman. She trailed her hand up his right arm and James managed a smile even as he clenched the champagne glass tight in his left hand. He didn’t want to seem rude – she was a lovely enough woman. Funny, intelligent, shrewd. But not his type, and definitely not taking the hint.

He saw Qrow watching them, out of the corner of his eye, and hoped he could convey enough “please help me” into his eyes for Qrow to help him out. Evidently, it worked, as Qrow made his way toward the door.

“So, you’re kind of like an android, aren’t you?” asked the woman.

“More like a cyborg,” said James, smiling. “I’m only half metal, after all.”

He saw Qrow pause, a few feet away from them.

“Oh,” said the woman.

“What did you just say?” asked Qrow.

James gave Qrow a warm smile. “I said I’m closer to a cyborg – partially metal, not all.”

Qrow nodded, his rusty eyes wide and his lips parted. He cleared his throat, shaking most of the confusion from his expression and asked, “Can I talk to you?” A pause. “Alone?”

James smiled at the woman, who frowned at Qrow. “Excuse us,” he said.

He allowed Qrow to take his hand and lead him up the stairs and out to the balcony, where Qrow released him and started pacing.

“Are you all right?” asked James, frowning. He leaned his back against the balcony railing, looking down on the snow covered courtyard outside. The wind was cool, but not unreasonably so, and he was glad his suit jacket was built for the weather.

“Fine,” said Qrow, quickly. He looked up at James, licked his lower lip and then bit it. Then, walked forward until he was less than a foot in front of James. “Can I… try something?”

James nodded, swallowing hard as his heart beat fast in his chest. “Yes,” he said, softly.

Qrow rested a hand on James’ chest – the right side, not the left – and leaned up. There was a brief moment of hesitation, their breath ghosting each other’s lips, before Qrow closed the distance and kissed James soundly.

It wasn’t a long or particularly deep kiss, but it sent sparks up James’ spine and left him aching for more as Qrow retreated.

Another moment of hesitation as they stared at each other, eyes hooded and mouths parted. Qrow licked his lips, something incomprehensible in his eyes.

“Do that again,” whispered James. And Qrow did. Firmer this time, the hesitation gone. They kissed deeply, hands finding each other – James’ on Qrow’s hips and Qrow’s on his shoulders – and gripped tight, bodies pressed close together.

And when they pulled back, Qrow stepped back from him, a look on his face that James couldn’t place.

“Is everything all right?” asked James, his voice slightly husky.

Qrow nodded, the confusion and shock on his face winning out over everything else. “Fine,” he murmured. “Everything’s fine.” And he stepped forward again and kissed James as hard as he could, fingers digging hard into his metal shoulder. Their mouths opened to one another, hot and insistent, and when they pulled back, James swallowed hard.

“Everything’s fine,” murmured Qrow again. In the background, the countdown for midnight began. “I need to go. I’m sorry.”

“Wait,” started James, but Qrow was already gone.

James watched him take off, disappearing back into the ballroom and heading for the door. He swallowed again, leaning back against the balcony and rubbing his fingers over his lips.

“Wow,” he said softly. And he had no idea what had just happened. But that was fine. Because Qrow hadn’t sounded upset when he’d taken off, just confused. And James could wait. He was nothing if not a patient man.

Though that did leave the question of what to do about him and Nevermore. And what exactly that meant for him and Qrow. Was he really in a relationship with either? And if he was, did it count as infidelity if he was dating them in separate identities?

He had no idea. And, honestly? It just made his head hurt.

“Happy new year!” cried the people inside the ballroom. James pushed off the balcony and headed back inside. He needed to find Pyrrha and Penny to wish them a happy new year. Everything else could wait until after he’d sorted out Cinder and Adam.

Besides, it wasn’t like Nevermore was talking to him much recently anyway.

* * *

It was two weeks later when James finally heard from Nevermore. The Scroll call came through just after midnight on the fifteenth, waking James from his sleep. He rolled over and pulled the call up, grimacing at the backlit screen.

“Nevermore?” asked James, grateful the video was off. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Nevermore chuckled, the sound warm and comforting. “Map translations are ready; I’m sending them to you now.” James heard the beep as the transfer completed. “Looks like Taurus and Fall have a lot of things planned in the next two months.” He let out a whistle through his teeth. “Nothing good.”

James frowned. “What about Taurus? Where is he, do we know?” He sat up and rubbed his face, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and setting his feet on the cool wood floor.

“Yeah,” said Nevermore. “Looks like he’s headed back to White Fang’s old headquarters. There’s something under there that he wants, according to the maps.”

James stood, switching the Scroll to his other hand as he grabbed his housecoat and slid it on. “Do we know what?” he asked, flicking on his bedside lamp. He yawned and rubbed a hand through his hair. He was a little confused by the warmth in Nevermore’s voice. The last time they’d talked, it hadn’t ended well, but it also seemed like Nevermore had forgot their last conversation. Or else had just gotten over it. But James didn’t know _why._

“No clue,” said Nevermore.

“Mm,” said James. “I’ll look into it. Shouldn’t take too long with the surveillance equipment on the Beacon.”

“Yeah,” said Nevermore. “Listen, you might not see me for a bit.”

James frowned and looked out the window. Snow was falling gently onto the courtyard. “Where are you headed?” he asked.

“Patch.”

James started. “ _What_?”

“Yeah,” said Nevermore. He cleared his throat, voice a tad low. “I have a lead on the new Winter. I think if I take her up there, we can unfreeze Patch and figure out what happened – what those things that dropped Poe were.”

James frowned. “If you’re sure.”

“I am,” said Nevermore.

“All right,” said James. He stood and padded out into the hallway, flicking on the light. “Stay safe, Nevermore.”

“You too, G-General,” said Nevermore. James frowned at the stutter. Must have had the hiccups or something. “Oh, one more thing,” said Nevermore.

James hummed.

“You ever sort out those ear plugs for Taurus?” asked Nevermore.

“Yeah,” said James, continuing down the hall at a leisurely pace. “I set up a low tone frequency in the plugs, should prevent him from getting to me again.”

“Good,” said Nevermore. “Can’t have you turning on us.”

James hummed again “I would never,” he said, voice soft, and rapped on Pyrrha’s door, wondering if she was still up. When he didn’t get a response, he cracked open the door and peered in.

The bed was empty. The window was open. The closet door was open and Pyrrha’s Polaris costume and weapon were gone.

“Nevermore,” said James, voice tight. “I need to call you back.”

“Is everything okay?” asked Nevermore, voice tight.

James swallowed and licked his lips. “I honestly have no idea,” he said, and he hung up. He stared, for a long moment, at the empty closet and open window and empty bed. Gaze darting between the three.

Then, he pulled up the tracking app on his Scroll and located Pyrrha on it.

“Thank you, paranoid old fool,” he muttered. Every member of the Guild had a tracker on them. This was the first time it had ever been handy.

He frowned at her location. Why was she near the docks? Then, something else occurred to him. The phone call from Nevermore.

“ _Taurus_ ,” he breathed, and he raced down to his headquarters to grab his General Steel costume.

* * *

James made it to the docks not long after Pyrrha did. She still hadn’t made it to the headquarters, and James suspected that was because she didn’t know where it was. James headed toward the headquarters warehouse, hoping that he could outpace her.

He moved quickly, entire body tense as he sprinted toward the warehouse. He kept his gaze sharp and his head up. But as he ran, he didn’t find her, and he couldn’t help but feel that he was running out of time.

James only just managed to catch up with her. Pyrrha was walking up to the warehouse entrance when James finally saw her.

“Pyrrha, stop!” he shouted. She turned. She was in full Polaris garb, her shields attached to her back and earplugs in her ears. James’ own were beneath his coating, the constant low buzz slowly driving a headache between his eyes.

“He’s here,” said Pyrrha, voice tight. “I know he is.” She clenched her fists at her sides and the shipping containers stacked four high all around them creaked ominously.

“You can’t do this,” said James. When Pyrrha opened her mouth to protest, James continued, “Not _alone_.” He put his hands on her shoulders. Felt his metal coating bend to conform around her skin. He grimaced, tried not to let it show. “You’re fifteen, Pyrrha. You need help. Taurus has years of experience on you.”

“I can take him,” said Pyrrha. A container started to wobble. “I know I can.”

“Pyrrha,” started James.

Then, “Well, well, well. Look at what we have here.” James felt his entire body go tense. The whistling in his ears grew louder as the buds picked up on Taurus’ voice and tried to keep him safe. “General Steel and… Little Red Riding Hood?”

“Polaris,” snarled Pyrrha, turning. She jerked out of James’ grip, shields quivering on her back.

Adam Taurus stood in the entrance to the warehouse, leaned against it with his arms folded. “What a lovely name for a lovely girl,” he purred. He stepped back into the warehouse, gesturing. “Almost as lovely as my precious darling.”

With a scream, Pyrrha launched herself at Taurus, sprinting across the concrete toward him. With a smirk – his eyes covered by a White Fang mask, and were the lenses glowing or was it just James? – Taurus stepped back into the warehouse and disappeared into the shadows.

James ran after them, shouting, “Polaris!” as he went. Pyrrha was faster, smaller, and infinitely more motivated. She disappeared into the warehouse and James ran after them both. Heard the first clash of metal on metal as Pyrrha drove herself at Taurus.

He came into the warehouse just as Pyrrha hit Taurus. His sword came out, red and glowing and menacing. The shields nicked the side of the sword. James grabbed his Taser.

“Polaris, stop,” he called. Pyrrha turned, eyes black as the night sky, and snarled. Threw out one hand and James jerked and hit the wall. He grimaced, jerking. Couldn’t move. Was forced to watch as Pyrrha spun back around and jumped back just as Taurus came at her.

Pyrrha and Taurus launched themselves at each other, spinning faster and faster through the broken warehouse. Ashes and dust stirred around them like a whirlwind of snow, and the snow from outside continued to fall, washing in and spinning to mix black and white into grey.

Ashes and dust. Fire and blood. Metal screamed against metal as the two spun. Pyrrha whipped her shields around and they slammed Taurus in the back. Taurus brought his sword around and it caught the bottom of Pyrrha’s hair. An inch of red fluttered to the floor.

She screamed with her shields. Kicked him in the chest. Backed up and back-flipped as Taurus launched at her again. His sword slashed left, right, then up. Shield across her front as the sword came down. It bent, shrieked, broke in half. The halves spun through the air and came at Taurus.

Pyrrha snarled at Taurus. His horns glowed. So did the lenses. So did the lines on his mask. He was a beacon in the darkness, red as blood. Red as hell.

Pyrrha went flying, flipped over in mid-air, and planted her feet on one of the concrete support pillars. She came forward again, grabbed her full shield, and slammed it into the side of Taurus’ head. He swung around, sword cutting through her shield. Both broken. All four pieces slicing unevenly through the air.

“Get down,” snarled Taurus as Pyrrha launched again.

“No,” snapped Pyrrha.

Taurus caught her by the throat and threw her into a concrete support. Pyrrha screamed, blood trickling from her nose.

“Stupid girl,” snarled Taurus. “You think you can stop me? I am a force of nature. I am a god among men.” He held up his sword to her throat. “And you will do what I say.”

Pyrrha spat blood onto his mask. “Fuck you,” she hissed. One of the shields came flying through the air and whacked Taurus in the side of the head. His mask cracked and hit the ground. The red glow faded to painted lines.

Taurus snarled. Pyrrha jerked forward. Head-butted him and then booted him in the chest. He fell back. She dropped. The sword flew through the air and twisted, end over end. Pyrrha kicked Taurus in the chest, threw out her hands, eyes still black. The sword dropped into her hands. She spun. James gasped.

She held the tip to Taurus’ throat. He was on his knees. Head tilted upward to keep the sword from pressing deep.

From James’ position, pinned to the wall, he could see Taurus’ face. Red irises. Black sclera. Black and red vein lines spindling across his face like so many spider webs. He barred his teeth. They were pointed and jagged. His eyes glowed with his horns. His skin was inhumanly pale.

“Do you know who I am?” asked Pyrrha.

Taurus sneered. “Can’t say I do,” he said.

James swallowed and tried to find his voice. His head rang from the buzzing in his ears. He couldn’t _think_. Every time Taurus spoke it got worse. Every time he moved the buzzing increased until James could scarcely hear anything else. He hadn’t spoken during the fight for fear of distracting Pyrrha.

Now, he needed to be able to speak.

“My name is Pyrrha Nikos,” said Pyrrha. She reached up with her free hand and yanked off her mask, tearing it free from the circlet. The mask hit the ground. The circlet stayed. “You killed my parents in the convention hall fire.”

Taurus tipped his head, the sword brushed his throat. Pyrrha trembled. “Can’t say I remember them. Or you.” His eyes skimmed her body and he licked his lip, slow and sure. James shivered. “I think I’d remember you.” There was a purr to his voice that made Pyrrha’s hand tremble further.

“Pyrrha,” said James, finding his voice. “Don’t do this. You’re better than this.”

“He deserves to die,” croaked Pyrrha. Her hand shook harder, twitching the sword. Tears gathered in her eyes. A thin line of blood beaded on the sword against Taurus’ throat. It seemed to pulse. The Dust was creeping up Pyrrha’s arm, staining it as red as the sword. As red as Taurus’ glow.

“Yes, he does,” said James. “But not like this. You can’t do this – you’re a child. You will _never_ forget this.” He swallowed and strained against his invisible bonds. They vibrated. Pyrrha’s control was wavering. If it broke, he’d be free. He could stop her.

He could do what she couldn’t.

“Listen to Daddy, Pyrrha,” said Taurus. “You don’t want me dead, do you darling? That isn’t the hero way.” He grinned up at her. There was blood in his mouth. “Besides, why kill a man who doesn’t know who you are?”

“He deserves to die,” said Pyrrha again. Her voice broke on the last word, tears spilled down her cheeks and splattered onto the concrete floor. “I cannot let him live. Not after all he’s done.”

“Then I’ll kill him,” said James. His voice was as sure as it had ever been. “But don’t do this to yourself. Don’t destroy your life – your conscience – on revenge.”

Pyrrha’s hands trembled. The sword fell to her side. “You’re right,” she said. She clenched her fist. James slid down the wall and touched down on the floor. He held out his hand.

“Now, give me the sword,” said James.

Taurus tipped his head to one side. “Wait,” he said. Pyrrha tensed. Taurus’ body vibrated. It occurred to James that Pyrrha was literally holding him by the metal in his outfit. By the belt and the boots and earrings. “Pyrrha Nikos.” A sly grin. “Was your mother Briseis?”

“Yes,” said Pyrrha, voice shaking.

He grinned. “Now, _her_ , I remember.” He chuckled. “Lovely woman _._ Too bad about her face. I cut it clean off in that fire.”

Pyrrha screamed and so did the metal of the world around James. He hit his knees, grabbing his head as his prosthetics ripped at his body. She lifted the sword high above her head, and James watched in horror as she brought it down on Adam Taurus’ laughing throat. Blood splattered her white costume and golden jewellery.

James shouted, “No!”

Pyrrha’s screams turned to sobs.

And Adam Taurus’ head hit the concrete floor, eyes dark and mouth still pulled into a smirk, blood pooling around his body as it slumped to the ground.

Pyrrha collapsed, the sword clattering to the floor. James ran across the concrete floor, grabbing her as she fell and pulling her toward the warehouse door.

“No, no, no,” croaked Pyrrha, face buried in her hands. “No, no, no!”

“He’s dead,” whispered James as he pulled her out of the warehouse. “He’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Pyrrha screamed and sobbed, pressing close to his chest. She shook so hard that James worried she’d fall apart.

“No, no, no,” she kept chanting.

James kissed her hair and held her tight. “I’ve got you. It’s over. I’ve got you.”

The shipping containers shook with her. Several tore themselves free, falling and clashing around them, suspended between other containers. Chunks of the containers came free and spun into the air.

The wind picked up, whipping itself around and around them in a tornado until the dust and ash and metal swirled into an unstoppable wall of pain and wailing.

And James held her through it, watched as the world of the docks came apart at the seams. He held her as she screamed and sobbed, as she tore and destroyed, and as wind and metal mixed and the whole world fell around him.

And as he held her, the snow continued to fall, soft and gentle beyond the swirling storm of Pyrrha’s revenge-fueled grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love!


	4. Act Three: Part One: Cinder Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, the story has picked up an extra chapter. **This is not the end.** There is one more chapter after this. Why did I do this? Because Act 3 is already 15,000 words long, and that's only the first half. Beyond that, there's a lot to absorb in this story, and I didn't want anything to get lost in the shuffle.
> 
> Oh, one more quick note: I got really sick of the Amber with amber eyes thing, so now all mentions of her eyes (all two) have been changed to copper. Makes for better flow, I think.
> 
> So, here we go folks! Act 3, first half. Have fun and enjoy!

Red and black and white. Red and black and white. Those were the colours that danced behind James’ eyes every time he dared to close them. Red, black, white. Blurring and smearing together into an incomprehensible blur.

He rubbed at his eyes and stared down at the infirmary bed on the other side of the glass. Pyrrha lay beneath the sheets, her red hair hung around her like a halo. The white sheets were only a few shades lighter than her skin. A handful of black veins spider-webbed from her eyes, standing out starkly against the white and red.

Red and black and white.

James sighed and leaned against the glass, his right arm resting on it and his forehead resting on his arm. They’d put Pyrrha in isolation, when the veins started to appear, and she hadn’t woken up since. James wasn’t even sure how much she knew about what had happened. About what she’d done.

Adam Taurus was dead. Pyrrha Nikos was in a coma. Amber was missing. The Blight was spreading.

And no one, not James, not Blake, not anyone on the Guild, knew what Cinder Fall had planned.

He rubbed at his eyes again. They burned fiercely, a testament to how long he’d been awake. It was going on thirty-six hours now. From the time he’d woken up to Nevermore’s call, through to the battle between Pyrrha and Adam, to carrying Pyrrha up to the Beacon, and through the arguments, diplomacy tactics, and flat out verbal battles as the Guild members tried to figure out what to do next.

Half of them wanted Pyrrha to stay under, so they didn’t have to pass judgement on a fifteen-year-old in mourning. The other half didn’t think they had the right. After all, hadn’t everyone on the Guild done something they’d regretted later on? It was part of what made them a team.

It was part of why the Wizard had chosen them for the Guild in the first place.

“Please be safe,” whispered James into the glass, and whether he was talking to Pyrrha or to Amber, he couldn’t be certain.

“The Blight spreads,” said a voice next to him. James tilted his head to see Blake padding down the hall, purple veins surrounding her golden eyes. “It claimed our messiah.”

James narrowed his eyes. “Blake, are you all right?”

She let out a laugh, almost hysterical in its suddenness, and grinned at him with tears in her eyes. “Am I all right, he says. Oh, General Ironsteel.” Another laugh, softer, sharper. “How the mighty have fallen.” She swayed dangerously and leaned hard against the glass with one shoulder. When she smiled at him, all teeth, he saw the blood in her mouth.

She’d been biting her tongue again.

“You’ve been in the Dust supply,” said James. Blunderbuss used it for his weapons, to keep up with the Anomalies on the team. James thought they’d locked it down tight enough to keep Blake out, but it seemed she’d found a way into it in her mourning. If this could be called mourning, that was.

“What gave it away?” asked Blake. She spread her hands, the bags under her eyes tinged purple. “It feels so good to be back in control.”

James frowned. “You’re not in control like this, Blake. The Dust is. This is a relapse.” He paused, pressing his lips together. “Is this about Adam?”

She swayed again, still grinning. The edge of hysteria still in her voice. “Oh, yes, Adam!” She threw one arm into the air. “A noble soul taken from this world too soon. Three cheers! A toast to the poor fuckin’ _bastard_.” Her words were accompanied by a sway of her head, a flash of bloody teeth, and a cock to her shoulders that betrayed her growing unsteadiness.

“Blake,” said James. He took a step toward her and Blake broke off into laughter again. She threw a hand over her mouth as hysterical tears sprung free from her eyes to slip down her face. Her cat ears twitched and laid flat on her head. James reached Blake just as her laughter turned to sobbing and her tears picked up in earnest. She slid to the floor and James followed, hesitantly putting a hand on her shoulder.

She cried for a minute, rolling sobs that shook her entire body. He held her shoulder through it, not knowing what to do or say to comfort her. Not knowing if he should.

“Everyone talks about how trauma gives you powers,” croaked Blake, as her sobs started to subside. She rubbed a hand over her mouth, smearing the blood on her teeth across her lips and one cheek. “No one talks about the kind of person it leaves you. Or how absolutely _fucked up_ a person has to be to induce that on someone.”

She leaned back against the wall, tears still sliding down her cheeks. Her ears twitched atop her head. “There were five… no, six of us, when he started.” She shrugged. “I was the lucky one to survive.” The bite to her words said otherwise.

James said nothing, worried that anything might stop this outpour of information.

“I wasn’t an Anomaly, not at first,” said Blake. “I was just some poor, eight-year-old Faunus girl who’d just lost her parents. But even that wasn’t enough.” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, smearing the rest of the blood on the back of her hand across her eyelids. It painted the next few tears pink as they slipped down her cheeks. Their tracks cut through the rest of the drying blood she’d smeared only moments before.

“Then Adam found me,” said Blake. “I thought he was amazing.” Her voice was breathless. She leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling, eyes unfocused. “I thought he was going to change the world.” A croak on the last word. She let out a breathless laugh that quickly dissolved into a broken sob. Caught the second sob and swallowed hard around it, strangling it. James watched her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into it.

“He brought me to the White Fang headquarters. It was bigger then. Grander. We had paintings on the walls, real purpose.” She wiped at her eyes and sniffled again. “Then he took me down into the basement and told me he could make me powerful, beautiful. That no one would ever hurt me again.” A shaky breath. “And I believed him.” She gritted her teeth. “I believed that sick bastard.”

She was silent for a few minutes, long enough that James chanced speaking.

“What happened?” he asked.

“He took six of us. Six of the youngest girls in the White Fang, and he pumped us full of Dust. Put enough into our systems to kill us.” Her voice had gone soft and distant, a sadness in it that had James’ heart clenching. “When we all came down… I was the only one left. I’d gotten what I wanted, I was an Anomaly.”

“Oh, Blake,” breathed James.

She tugged at her hair, yanking a few strands free. They fell to the floor, reminding James far too much of the veins he’d seen on Pyrrha earlier.

“There’s something else they don’t tell about being an Anomaly, and that’s that trauma giveth…” She held out her hand, palm up, fist curled. “And trauma taketh away.” She turned her hand over and opened her fist. Several strands of hair floated down to the white tiles.

Red blood. Black hair. White tiles.

James tried not to think about it.

“But, if you’re constantly exposed to low levels of trauma,” said Blake, slowly. “Say, since you’re about eight years old…” She shrugged. “Then bigger traumas don’t hit as hard, and they don’t take your Anomaly away.” A bitter laugh passed her lips as horror sunk deep into James’ chest.

Oh. So _that_ was why Adam had kept Blake on a permanent Dust high. Not just because of the extra boost Dust gave, but because it kept Blake from reacting to high amounts of trauma.

“Why did he do that to you?” asked James.

“I don’t know,” croaked Blake. “I don’t know.” A sob slipped out of her and broke on the open air. She buried her face into his shoulder. Clung hard to his jacket. He was grateful he wasn’t wearing his coating. “I just don’t know.”

There was another minute of silence.

Then, “I wanted him dead. That’s why I told Pyrrha the truth. I knew she’d kill him. Or you would.” She shrugged. “It didn’t matter to me who. I knew I couldn’t do it.”

James nodded. He pressed a kiss to her sweaty, limp hair, between her ears. Found he couldn’t much hold it against her.

“Do you know the names of all the people you’ve killed, Mr. Ironwood?” she whispered.

James thought of the lab. “Yes.”

“So do I,” said Blake. “It doesn’t make it any easier.”

James thought of Akiko. Of the pain just before he’d lost almost three months of his life. “No,” he agreed. “It doesn’t.” And he held her a little tighter.

* * *

The call came a few hours later, when James had put Blake to bed and asked Tukson to keep an eye on her. It came from Qrow, who had sounded panicked and exhausted all at once, and when James had asked Qrow where he was, Qrow had said he was at the Ryan Claret Memorial Hospital, where Yang had been staying.

James rushed there as soon as he could, switching out his General Steel get-up for a charcoal grey turtleneck and a pair of black slacks. He stumbled out of the elevator and passed reception – Emrys waved him forward – and stopped dead in front of Yang’s room.

Taking a deep breath, James steeled himself and stepped into the room.

There were two beds in it now. Yang lay in one, asleep but only attached to an IV and heart monitor. And in the other, lay Ruby, hooked up to the same myriad of machines Yang had once been attached to. Qrow leaned against the window, a shadow across his pale, tired face.

James hadn’t slept in forty hours.

“Qrow,” said James, voice soft. Qrow looked up, half a dozen emotions flickering across his face in quick succession before finally settling on relief.

 _“James,”_ he breathed. He stumbled forward, meeting James halfway and burying himself against James’ chest, fisting his turtleneck.

James gripped Qrow’s shoulders and held him tight. “What happened?” he asked. “I thought she was safe.”

Qrow said nothing.

“Qrow,” said James, pulling back to cup Qrow’s face in his hands and look down at him with soft, concern filled eyes. “What happened to her?”

Another flash of emotions, this time settling on heartbroken and terrified. He buried his face into James’ chest and sniffled, the dampness from his eyes seeping into the fabric of James’ turtleneck. “Please,” he croaked, voice breaking halfway, “don’t make me lie to you.”

James tensed for a split second, surprised by the words. Then, he wrapped his arms back around Qrow and pulled him close, pressing a kiss to his hair. “Okay,” he whispered. “Okay.”

Qrow sniffled. “She’s dying,” he whispered. “All her vitals are slowing down and her body’s getting colder. She’ll be dead in a week if it keeps up.”

“I’m so sorry,” said James. “If you need anything…” He trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.

“Stay with me?” asked Qrow. “Just until Tai gets here.” He looked up at James, something soft and vulnerable in those rusty eyes. James felt his heart pang. “Please.”

James kissed Qrow’s forehead. “Of course,” he whispered. “Anything.”

* * *

It had been forty-six hours since James had slept when he got called back onto the Beacon.

Glynda had called him up there. She’d just gotten back. She’d found Amber. Unconscious, badly injured, but alive. _Thank god she was alive._

He rushed into the infirmary, footsteps faltering from exhaustion as he ran. Slammed open the door and stumbled into the room.

For the second time in six hours, he stared down at a hospital bed.

Amber was hooked up to more machines than either Ruby or Yang, including a ventilator. Half her face was covered in a pale, spider-web of scars, like something had latched onto her face, and bruises and scraps littered her entire body.

“Amber,” whispered James, voice hoarse. He leaned against the wall next to the door. “Oh my god.”

“I know.” James turned his head to see Glynda leaning against the wall near the foot of the bed. She was still in uniform, sans her mask, and her green eyes were a strange accessory to her current state. Bruises marked the undersides of those eyes, and her hair was limp and pale, hanging in strings around her face.

“What happened?” asked James.

Glynda shook her head and rubbed a hand over her face before folding her arms. Her capelet was torn on one side, the feathers half gone. “I don’t know. I was patrolling the area near Patch when I saw her. Frozen like everything in there. If it wasn’t for my Anomaly…” She trailed off, voice tight.

“It’s not your fault,” said James. He looked at the table next to Amber and saw a thin, purple shard. “What is that?”

“Obsidian,” said Glynda. “It was in her face.” She pointed to a spot near her forehead, which was bandaged and turning red slowly.

James swallowed hard. “Obsidian,” he echoed. “Perfect.” He paused, frowning. “Why were you near Patch, anyway?”

“The Wizard felt something happen there; they wanted me to check it out.” Glynda stared at the floor. Her gaze flicked up to him, washed out and exhausted. “James. It’s spreading.”

“What?” He blinked a few times. “That’s impossible.”

Glynda shook her head, lips pressed firmly together. “You’d think.” Her voice cracked again. James wondered when the last time she’d slept was. Maybe almost as long as him. “We have markers that show the edge of the Freeze, for safety.” She took a deep breath. “All of them are about fifty feet inside the edge now.”

 _“What?”_ James pushed himself straight, staring from Glynda to Amber with wide eyes. He shook his head, fast and hard. “No, that’s impossible. Patch has been the same for ten years. Why would it change now?”

“Because the Winter Maiden walks again.”

James turned to find Penny standing in the door, wearing a long nightgown and a pair of pyjama pants. The nightgown had pictures of tropical trees on them, blowing gently in some invisible island breeze.

Penny looked up at him, her eyes flickering. “She lives. She was there.” Penny shrugged. “When her power hit the Freeze from the last use of her power…”

“It started to spread again,” said Glynda. “Like it did when it first happened.”

Penny nodded. “Precisely.”

“How do you know all this?” asked James.

Penny stared at Amber. Her gaze was soft and sad, the glow fading until her eyes were only a strange shade of green, and not the ethereal glowing wonders that James had grown so fond of. “I was created to stop the Four, should the need ever arise. I pride myself on knowing everything about them,” she said.

“Penny…” James trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Penny looked up at him. “Her powers are incomplete,” she said. “Amber is hurt because someone tried to steal her magic. And they succeeded halfway.”

“That’s possible?” asked Glynda.

Penny nodded. “Just as mine or my father’s magic can be stolen, so too can a member of the Four’s.” She swayed, one hand on her head. “It’s not good, Mr. Ironwood.”

“No, it’s not,” said James. He put his hand – the flesh one – on her shoulder. “Why don’t I take you back to bed?”

Penny nodded and let herself be led out of the room, down the hall, and back into her bedroom. James tucked her into bed, kissing her forehead, and wished her goodnight.

“Stay safe, Penny,” he whispered.

She smiled softly at him, her eyes still full of worry, and snuggled into her covers, asleep in an instant.

That done, James took a deep breath, turned away from Penny, and headed for the Wizard’s quarters.

* * *

James rapped on the door and waited for the Wizard’s quiet call of “come in” before opening the door into their quarters. It was strange to be there – James had never been in the room before, though he knew where it was – but the Wizard had been given the okay to leave the infirmary, and hadn’t returned to it or their office since.

The room wasn’t what James had been expecting. He’d seen Penny’s room, with its free floating constellations and inky black ceiling, and its dozens of dismantled electronics that she liked to fiddle with. He’d seen the Wizard’s office, with its free floating gears that spun slowly above those who stood in the office.

But the Wizard’s room almost looked… normal. Cluttered, filled with papers and books, parchments and drawings, and with strange symbols on the walls, but almost normal.

A desk, a desk chair, several lounge chairs, two stuffed bookcases, and a bed. Simple, elegant, cluttered.

It was a little odd, to say the least.

On the bed was the Wizard, tucked under the covers and sitting up as they read a book. They looked up at James, varicose veins and brown eyes standing out starkly against their ever paling skin.

“Hello, James,” said the Wizard. And James knew, this time, that there was no significance behind using his real name. He had come up to the Beacon in the same clothes he went to the hospital in, not finding the time to change or do much else in the intermittent.

“Wizard,” said James, nodding. “I had a question for you.”

“Of course,” said the Wizard, setting down their book and gesturing to one of the lounge chairs in the room. James sat down in one and waited for the Wizard to turn and face him on the bed. “What do you need?”

“Cinder has the power of two of the Four now,” said James. “Or at least, one and a half of the Four.”

The Wizard nodded, their gaze flickering to their bookcases. “Penny told me.”

“How…?” asked James. Had she discovered everything about Amber before she came to James?

“Magic,” said the Wizard, eyes twinkling for but a moment.

James narrowed his eyes. He decided to let the comment slide and moved on to the important parts. “What does this mean for you? With Amber down and Cinder so powerful…” He trailed off.

The Wizard sighed. “The Four are all out of my control, I’m afraid. I’ve discovered Summer and Winter, and neither are in any condition to fight.”

“Who are they?” asked James.

The Wizard said, “Without the Four, our hopes turn to Penny. She will need all the knowledge we have about Cinder Fall.”

“What about you?” asked James. “Can you not fight Cinder? Or do something to stop her?”

The Wizard shook their head. “No.” They took a deep breath, one hand coming up to comb through their hair. “As I get weaker, the Witch gets stronger, and I cannot hope to fight her as well as Cinder.”

“You called her-”

“Names have power,” said the Wizard, sharply. “I suggest you remember that. As the Witch grows stronger, so too does her influence, and her name would allow her to track those who use it.”

James remembered Blake’s words. “She’s already escaped the moon, has she not?”

The Wizard frowned. “Pardon?”

“Blake, she told me that she saw a woman working with Cinder and Adam. A woman with red eyes and impossible power,” said James. “That has to be… the Witch.”

The Wizard shook their head. “She is still trapped in her mirror prison within our shattered moon. Whoever Blake saw, it could not have been her.”

The who could it be, James wondered. Who else was there that could be working with… the Witch?

“Another mystery,” muttered James.

“It seems a lot of those are appearing, as of late,” said the Wizard. “It is imperative that we solve them, as soon as possible.”

James stood. “Of course,” he said. He checked his watch. “However, I have other things to attend to today. Take care, Wizard.”

“And you as well, James,” said the Wizard, and James headed out of the room and toward home.

It had been forty-eight hours since he’d slept.

* * *

A day later, after some much needed sleep, James found himself standing next to Glynda on a podium, speaking to dozens of curious reporters and other media persons.

“I assure you,” he was saying as the cameras flashed all around him. “Ironwood Industries is focusing all of its resources on the sickness that is afflicting the young women of Atlas City. We are not taking this laying down. We have our best and brightest on the case and will be keeping the people of Atlas updated on everything we know.”

Camera flashes and shouts rose up from the audience. One reporter stepped forward. “Lisa Lavender, Atlas Evening News. Mr. Ironwood, does Ironwood Industries have a lead on what has started the sickness that has crossed the city?”

“Not yet,” said James. “But we’re very close to a breakthrough and I expect one any day now.”

Another reporter stepped forward. “Bora Sinmun of Atlas City Daily, Mr. Ironwood, what do you say to the rumours that feminine hygiene products are responsible for this sickness?”

James gave an easy smile, making sure to keep the concern in the pinch of his brow and in his eyes. “If that were true, I suspect we’d have many middle aged women, and quite a few men, in our hospitals as well.” The reporter seemed to back off at his words.

“Mr. Ironwood,” said a third reporter, stepping forward. Her tiny horns drew James’ gaze. “Cerise Wyoming of The E-Quality Report, here. The people want to know: do you think that this is a focused attack meant to forcibly sterilize female Anomalies, like so many attacks to sterilize minority women throughout the history?”

James frowned. “While I sincerely hope that this is not a focused attempt to do such a thing, I have not ruled it out of possibility yet.” He hoped it wouldn’t cause such a thing, but it was always a possibility. A terrifying one, at that. “Rest assured, if that is the intent of this illness, the perpetrators will be caught and pursued to the full extent of the _entirety_ of the law.”

More flashes and snapshots. More people shouting questions. And in the midst of it all, Qrow stepped forward and flashed a grin at James.

“Qrow Branwen, Atlas Unlimited,” he called, and the reporters leaned forward to listen to his question. “Have you thought of recruiting the Guild into your searches? Surely their power and influence could make a different in this endeavour.”

All the reporters seemed to stare at James. A hundred pairs of eyes and camera glued to him until he could scarcely think of anything else.

He gave his best professional smile to Qrow. “I assure you, the Guild has been informed of Ironwood Industries’ endeavours and they have offered all the resources they have in helping us. We’ve made great headway.”

Qrow disappeared back into the crowd as more questions rose up, and James and Glynda did their best to dispel their worries and instill hope into the people of Atlas.

When it was over, the two stepped off stage and headed back toward James’ car.

“This is getting out of head,” said Glynda, frowning.

James nodded. “The Blight is getting worse. People aren’t waking up. Almost every female Anomaly in the country has gone under.” He rubbed a hand over his face and clenched his right fist at his side.

Glynda laid a hand on his shoulder. “You’re doing everything you can,” she said.

“But it’s not enough,” said James, tightly.

She sighed. “It would appear that way.” She looked up at him, her green eyes cloaked in shadow and the lines around her face pulled taunt and deep. “We need a solution.”

“This is obviously related to Cinder.” James stopped at the car and held open the passenger side for Glynda. “If we can find out where she is, we can try and get answers from that.”

Glynda slipped into the car. “Agreed,” she said. “You take Winter and scour the streets tonight, I’ll do the scans up on the Beacon.”

James nodded and shut the door. He didn’t speak again until he slipped into the driver’s side and shut the door. “Sounds like a solid plan as any. Let’s get to work.”

* * *

James led Winter, the two dressed as General Steel and Snow Pea, through the edge of Atlas, only several blocks away from where the Patch Freeze, as the news was calling it, had spread in the three days since Nevermore had gone to Patch.

Winter was silent, something odd given the situation, but characteristic for her. Still, it had James feeling a tad awkward. He knew she was bitter. He knew she blamed him for what had happened to Amber. He’d heard as much, through Glynda. Winter had seen Amber just after James had left the Beacon. Saying she hadn’t taken it well would be putting it mildly.

So the two walked in silence. Awkward, heavy silence that left James with a tight chest and a clenched jaw.

Heavier still was the fear that clung to the edges of James’ mind. Fear of what the Freeze was doing. Fear of what Cinder and the Witch were doing. Fear of who the hell the other person with them was. And fear of what was going to happen next.

Between the Blight and the Freeze, the White Fang and Cinder, between the fall of Amber and the rise of the Witch, everything was going to hell. And he had no idea what to do next.

“The Freeze has spread almost seventy feet in three days,” said James as they walked. It was an awkward way to break the silence at best, but it worked. “Evacuations are holding steady in the surrounding area.”

“Where are they all going?” asked Winter. She didn’t look at James as she spoke. Instead, she walked stiffly, eyes sweeping the area for anything unusual.

“Most are staying with friends or family,” said James. “Those that aren’t have found that Ironwood Industries is more than happy to pay for their accommodations at local inns and hotels.”

Winter raised an eyebrow, visible even behind her mask. “That’s quite kind.”

James sighed and dropped his voice to just above a whisper. “It’s the least I can do. If I’d gone up to Patch…” He grimaced and rubbed a hand over his face. Metal against metal. Cold and grating.

“What happened in Patch to do this?” asked Winter. She gestured to the Freeze, still over two blocks away and visible at the bottom of the hill they walked on. “What could do this?”

James sighed. “Haywire says the Winter Maiden walks on Earth again, after ten years of being gone.”

“Do you think it’s the first one?” asked Winter. She stared up at him with wide, pale blue eyes. Their flickering creating a temporary creature next to her. Then, her eyes solidified back to their usual steely blue, and the summon was gone.

Winter swayed, one hand on her head. She was pale – paler than James had ever seen her. And her gaze seemed washed out and out of focus.

“Winter?” asked James. He caught her as she stumbled. “Are you all right?”

She groaned, hands on either side of her head. The strange haze of the Freeze floated fifty feet away, at the bottom of the block. “I feel… strange.”

James helped her to her feet, casting a look over his shoulder at the Freeze again, and led her away from it. They stumbled together, Winter leaning heavily against him, for almost a block before she seemed to regain her strength. James stopped again, stooped over and watching Winter carefully as she stepped away from him.

“I’m fine,” she said. Her voice was stronger, some of her colour had returned, and her eyes had some of their sharpness back. She still stumbled when she straightened, but she seemed to be able to carry her own weight, at least.

James frowned and straightened. “What happened?” he asked.

Winter looked passed James, back toward the slowly encroaching line of the Freeze. Seventy feet today. Who knew how far it would be by this time tomorrow.

“It must have been the Freeze,” said Winter, softly. “When we got closer to it, I felt my strength leave me.” She rubbed her forehead with two fingers. “I didn’t realize it would do that.”

“Neither did I,” said James. He frowned. “Odd, I felt fine.”

“You’re also not a woman under twenty-five,” said Winter, drily. She glanced back at the Freeze again and shivered. “I didn’t realize the Freeze and the Blight were connected.”

“Neither did I,” said James. He frowned and flexed his right hand. “I’ll talk to the Wizard.”

Winter was silent, frowning at the Freeze with distant eyes. “If the two are connected, and Amber was found in Patch…” She trailed off. “Do you think Amber…?”

“No,” said James, sharply. “If you’re asking me if she has anything to do with this, then no, I don’t think she does. Amber is one of us, Winter. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt the world. She loves the world more than anyone else I’ve ever met.”

Winter looked away from him and James put his hand on her shoulder. He tilted her head so that she looked at him.

“She didn’t do this, Winter,” said James. “She wouldn’t.”

Winter shook her head. “But it could be connected to the Four. If it is, then she might not have known. Or realized. She could have done this – all of this...” Winter’s voice broke and she pushed back from James, hugging herself. “Not that it _matters_ anymore. Amber’s not here to fix anything either. Her powers are half gone and-” She sniffled, voice full of tears. “-no one knows if she even _can_ wake up.”

James held her close and rested his face in her hair as she cried against his metal shoulder. “We’ll find out how to save her, Winter. I promise.”

“Unless you can steal her magic back, I don’t see how,” whispered Winter.

And just like that, it was as if the world unveiled its secrets to James. The machine that had destroyed his body. The power he’d been missing. Penny’s technomancy magic. Between them, he could recreate his machine. Shrink it, use it on Cinder, and save Amber.

“We’ll save her,” said James, voice stronger this time. “We’ll save her.”

* * *

An hour later, they walked together, Winter still pale but James keeping a close eye on her. They walked together, near enough to the Freeze to see it, but never getting closer. Something had set off James’ Scroll and they were tracking the signal.

“What is your Scroll calibrated for?” asked Winter.

James thought about it. The last two things he’d tracked had been Pyrrha – who he’d tracked via a proper beacon, so she didn’t count – and the White Fang.

“White Fang,” he said. “We must have stumbled across one of their hideouts. We’ll do recon and return with back-up if need be,” said James.

Winter nodded and kept walking. James couldn’t help but feel a touch wary. Last time he’d walked into one of these situations, he’d ended up in a world of viscera and carnage. It had him on edge – he didn’t know what had created that last horrific scene, nor did he know how to stop it.

They turned a corner and the wind shifted direction, just like it had before. James grimaced as the sickly sweet scent of death and rot assaulted his senses.

Winter stumbled. “What _is_ that?” Her words were tight and horrified.

James looked down the alley that sat next to the corner. A mass of black and bile slumped against a dumpster, splatters of blood and brain matter nearby. He took a few steps into the alleyway and spotted a flash of white and red.

“General?” asked Winter. She wouldn’t come forward.

James picked up the object and turned it over in his hands.

It was a White Fang mask – or it was half of one, anyway. And next to it, still on the ground, was a wallet. James picked it up and opened it, finding a driver’s licence.

He looked back at Winter and held up the card. _Cerise Wyoming._ The reporter.

“Her name was Cerise,” said James. He looked down at the blood and sludge and black. Saw fingers attached to it. Saw the remnants of a face in part of it. “She was White Fang, once.”

“What happened to her?” asked Winter, holding herself as she stepped forward.

“I have no idea,” admitted James. “But I have a feeling its about to become very important.” He rubbed his face with his clean hand.

They were running out of time.

* * *

The next night, James found himself sitting on _the_ rooftop with Nevermore, the two of them watching the city, sharing coffee out of a thermos, and discussing their leads about the events with the White Fang and Cinder.

“Do you think the White Fang is still active, without Adam?” asked James. He took a sip from the thermos and passed it back to Nevermore, who smiled at him.

“Dunno,” said Nevermore. “Cinder looks like she’s got her claws pretty far into them, so I don’t doubt it.” He took a gulp and shrugged. “Fear is just as powerful as any Anomaly, and Cinder’s got enough to scare half the country into terrorism.”

James grimaced and wished he had something harder than coffee. “I don’t want to think about that,” he said. He took the thermos again and took a swing from it.

“Then what do you want to think about?” asked Nevermore, leaning back on his hands. James set down the thermos and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his arms down and hands dangling between his legs.

“What happened in Patch?” asked James.

Nevermore was silent.

“Nevermore,” said James, tightly. “We found Chlorophyll in Patch. She’s missing half her magic and is in a _coma._ The Patch Freeze is spreading – seventy-eight feet so far – and we’re evacuating chunks of the city to avoid people getting hurt.” He turned to face Nevermore.  “What happened there?”

“We lost,” said Nevermore, softly. “I thought I’d found the next Winter Maiden, but when we got there, everything started to shift.” He shook his head and sat up. Took a shaky breath and ducked his head. “Monsters appeared out of nowhere – the ones that killed my sister – and attacked us. We got hurt. _She_ got hurt.” He looked away from James, lenses rusty again. James couldn’t help but feel they were familiar. Painfully familiar.

“Then what?” asked James, when Nevermore was silent for another minute.

“Then, we saw the fight. Cinder and some… woman versus Chlorophyll,” said Nevermore. “I didn’t catch who the woman was, but…” He shook his head. “It wasn’t good. I saw Chlorophyll go down, but the one I was with went down too at the same time. Almost like…”

“…they were connected,” finished James. “Just like the first Fall and your Winter.”

Nevermore’s gaze snapped up, flashing red. “No kidding,” he murmured. “ _Fuck._ I knew I should have grabbed her. But it was her or who I was with and I couldn’t think straight.” He turned his head again.

James reached out and took Nevermore’s face in one hand, tilting it back toward Nevermore. Then, with painful slowness, he leaned forward and closed the gap between them. It was a soft kiss, gentle and short, and James pulled back to see Nevermore’s gaze flicker rusty again.

“You did what you had to,” said James. “Amber is alive, and you saved the woman you were with, did you not?”

Nevermore nodded, lips still parted and face still slack from the surprise kiss. “Yeah.”

“That’s what matters,” said James. “We can’t save everyone, remember? You’re the one who told me that. On this very rooftop, actually.” He rested his hand on Nevermore’s cheek, running his thumb over his upper lip. “You did what you could.”

“Still,” murmured Nevermore. “I could have done something.”

“Not unless you’re capable of being in two places at once,” said James.

Nevermore sighed and turned away from James to stare out at the night-time cityscape. “Unfortunately.” The bitterness in his voice was almost palatable. “Being able to move through the shadows doesn’t mean anything if I can’t use it to protect people.”

James looked out at the city as well, unsure of what else to say. He glanced over at Nevermore’s whose beak-like cowl had cast his entire face in shadow, leaving nothing to define him but the red lenses over his eyes.

“Do you ever get tired of wearing a mask, of pretending to be something you’re not?” asked James. Nevermore looked over at him, lips pursed.

“What do you mean?” asked Nevermore.

James gestured to the cowl. “You don’t just hide who your face, when you wear this; you hide who you really are,” said James. “When people say your name, they don’t say it like I do, Nevermore.” James turned to face Nevermore properly and frowned at him. “You hide. You’re an incredible man, why do that?”

“Sometimes we have to wear masks,” said Nevermore. “To keep ourselves, and the people around us, safe.” He shrugged. “Sometimes a mask is the only way to make it through the day.”

“Don’t you get sick of it?” asked James.

“Don’t you?” Nevermore shot back. “You wear one too, Steely, don’t pretend that you’re so much better than me.” He sighed and stared out at the city. “We do what we have to, to survive.”

“Yeah,” said James, softly. “I guess.”

He reached out, hesitantly, and wound his fingers through Nevermore’s. Nevermore squeezed his hand.

Together, they watched the traffic go by, far, far below.

* * *

James sat at one of chairs around the large meeting table on the Beacon. He turned the broken White Fang mask over in his hands, frowning. The broken person, covered in the black. The half-there mask and the driver’s license. Her name had been Cerise. She’d worked for The E-Quality Report.

He ran his thumb over the red lines on the mask and frowned. They reminded him of Nevermore’s lenses. And of Qrow’s eyes. Both of them beautiful in their own way. And so, so different as well.

He sighed and checked his phone, the one he typically used as James Ironwood. He’d sent a text to Qrow an hour ago, inviting him to the masquerade ball he was hosting in order to raise donations for research on the Blight. With the way the Freeze was spreading, and the way the Blight had taken hold of most of the country, he was running out of funds to help with both.

The message had sent, but was still marked as unread. James sighed again and turned his attention back to the mask.

Better to focus on things he could change, after all.

He rolled the half mask over in his hands again, frowning. The red lines drew his attention. The way they spread across the mask to the eye holes.

His hands paused. He stared at the mask. Stared at the lines. At the eye holes that tended to _glow._

_Adam._

The mask and Adam. The lines and Adam. The lines on Amber. On Pyrrha. On the Wizard. On other White Fang members. On the half-destroyed woman with only half a face.

They were all the same. And if the pattern of red eyes held true – then the woman in red with impossible power was related too.

…Did that mean Nevermore was connected to all of this as well?

James was knocked out of his thoughts by a scream from the infirmary. James dropped the mask on the table and tore off for the infirmary.

He hit it at the same time Hummingbird did and they both burst into Blake’s infirmary room, where she’d been detoxing. Her entire body was seizing, eyes rolling, bed shaking, vitals going off the charts.

“What’s going on?” asked James.

“Get her on her side,” said Hummingbird. James helped roll her onto her side. Black and red lines burst across her face and neck. She screamed and it cracked over into a howl. James jerked, ears screaming at him. “She’s crashing!”

“How?” asked James. He swung around to the other side of the bed and checked her eyes. They were gold, then red. Black lines spread further across her body. She screamed again. Her teeth were fangs. Her skin was white.

Red and black and white.

“This isn’t Dust poisoning,” snapped James, trying to hold her still. “So what is it?”

“I don’t know,” said Hummingbird, voice tight. He held up a syringe and tapped it, checking it. Then, “Hold her still.”

James gripped Blake tightly and watched as Hummingbird rolled up her shirt and injected her in the base of her spine. She shuddered and shook, and then fell still. Her eyes closed. Her breathing steadied. Her vitals solidified.

“What just happened?” asked James.

“I have no idea,” said Hummingbird. He stared at James, eyes wide.

“Stay with her,” said James. He crossed the room and headed for the door. “I’m going to go speak with the Wizard.”

* * *

James rapped on the door of the Wizard’s room and waited. Then he waited some more, as the Wizard didn’t answer.

He tried knocking again and still there was no response. James frowned and walked away from the door. He headed for their office, where the Wizard used to spend most of their time.

The door to the office was open, but the office itself was empty. The free floating gears spun and shifted lazily in the air above James’ head.

His frown tightened and he headed back through the Beacon, trying to figure out where the Wizard was.

He traveled through the Beacon. They weren’t in the kitchen, or the rest of the infirmary, or in the meeting room, or in any of the empty rooms, or in the various training rooms, or the server room.

James paused at Glynda’s suite and palmed the door. It swung open. He peeked his head in, but there was no one in their either. The other occupied suites had all been empty as well.

Just where on the Beacon was the Wizard?

Eventually, he ended up in the solarium, where he found the Wizard standing with their back to James, staring out at the Earth, far below them.

“Wizard,” said James, stepping forward. The Wizard didn’t move. “Blake is having seizures and we aren’t sure why. And the masks – I think you were right, Sa- the Witch, is using her emblems elsewhere. I just hadn’t noticed.” He looked over his shoulder, back toward the meeting room with the broken mask. “I could go get it, if you wanted.”

“James,” said the Wizard. James turned back to the Wizard and gasped at what he saw.

Red eyes. Black sclera. White skin. Black and red veins running across the Wizard’s exposed skin. And their silver hair had gone white as well, with thin lines of silver remaining near the front.

“Wizard?” asked James, his voice nothing more than a soft whisper. He couldn’t shake the horror. They looked like Adam. They looked like what Blake was becoming.

What was going on?

“She’s coming,” said the Wizard. “She cannot enter our world – she’s trapped in the mirror world – but she has a vessel. Cinder is going to attempt to open the portal and soon.”

“What do we do?” asked James.

The Wizard shook their head. They looked back out at Earth. “Tell me, James, how much do you know about my powers and where I come from?”

“Honestly?” asked James. He walked into the room, footfalls light despite his boots. He let his coating fall. Let himself be mortal where the Wizard could not. “Not much.”

The Wizard sighed. “The Witch and I are two halves of the same coin. We were born at the beginning of time, in the first explosions of the volcanoes that formed this world. From those first ashes that fell to Earth, we came.”

“Ashes to ashes,” said James, softly.

“And dust to dust, yes,” said the Wizard. They turned and faced James, their eyes red and their gaze strong. “Curious, is it not?”

“What does it mean?” asked James.

“From the first volcanoes came ash and Dust,” said the Wizard. “The Dust you know as a drug comes from that Dust. It gives great power, but it can also take it away. A form of… trauma, so to speak.” They spread their hands. “The Wi – _Salem_ and I were born from those ashes and that Dust. And thus, only things that come from those first volcanoes can harm us.”

“What created you can kill you,” said James, slowly. He rubbed his face and took a spot next to the Wizard to look out the window. “It makes sense.” A painful amount, actually.

“The symbols Salem and I use – the magic we conjure – it all comes from that first Dust,” said the Wizard. “Glyphs, our symbols, are how we use that magic.” The Wizard shook their head. “And some of those Glyphs can harm us as well.”

James frowned and turned to face the Wizard again. “Why tell me all this? Why show me what you really look like?” asked James. “Unless you’ve been affected by the Blight as well.”

“No, you’re quite right,” said the Wizard. “This is what I look like, or a close approximation of it. As the powers of the Four drain my own magic, I find myself struggling to keep my glamors. You saw when it began to fall, this,” they gestured to themselves, “is the rest.”

The brown eyes made more sense now at least, thought James. Green and red mixed.

“So, that’s why Cinder is using ashes then?” asked James. “Because it’s part of your origin story?” He couldn’t quite keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.

“No,” said the Wizard. They flicked their wrist and half a dozen images appeared on the windows, all of them images of ashes from previous crimes – some that James had seen, some he’d only heard about. Like the battle near the edge of Atlas, where Glynda had gone during the events with Adam and Cinder and the children. “She’s using ashes to form Salem’s glyphs.”

The Wizard waved their hand and lines appeared in the ashes, showing perfect circles and complex symbols hidden perfectly in the dips and rises of the ashes.

“Oh my god,” whispered James. “It’s been there all along, hidden in the ashes.”

The Wizard nodded. “She’s been gathering strength through these symbols.” A pause. “You said Miss Belladonna is being affected by… the Blight?”

James shook his head. “No, that’s not what it is,” said James. “It’s something else. I saw the same thing on Taurus when… when his mask got kicked off.” He grimaced. Remembering the screams and the sneers. Remembered Taurus’ mocking smirk as his head fell to the ground. “They looked just like _you_.”

The Wizard frowned. “I don’t understand,” said the Wizard. “Only long term exposure to Salem’s symbols would do such a thing.”

“The masks!” said James, eyes growing wide. “The red and black lines, the white masks. They look just like you.”

The Wizard stumbled, one hand shooting out to press against the glass. The other flew up to rest against their brow. They closed their eyes, swaying.

“Wizard?” asked James. He reached out, hesitantly, before letting his arms fall awkwardly to his sides. “Are you all right?”

“No,” moaned the Wizard, slumping against the glass. “No, no. She _wouldn’t._ ” They opened their eyes and stared at the ceiling. “She wouldn’t.”

James frowned. “If she did, I need to know,” he said, firmly. “What do the masks mean?”

“They’re transformation glyphs.” The Wizard’s words were soft. Their eyes slid closed again. “If they’re allowed to finish their process, they’ll destroy those poor people forever.”

The woman in the alleyway – _Cerise_. Taurus in the warehouse. And now Blake.

“How do we stop it?” asked James.

“Take the masks,” said the Wizard.

“But Blake…” James shook his head. “What about her?”

The Wizard sighed. “I don’t know. If you were to kill Salem, you should reverse all the effects of her glyphs.”

James frowned and rubbed his face. “Okay,” he said. “How do we kill her?” He looked at the Wizard, scowling to himself. “You said that only things in your creation can hurt her. Can you?”

“No,” said the Wizard. “Glyphs can, but we, as a rule, can’t hurt each other.” They sighed. Went silent.

The two stood in silence for a few minutes, staring out at the slowly rotating planet far, far below them. James wasn’t sure if the Wizard was going to say anything else. If they were done, or if they needed time to think. If everything had been said, or if the Wizard really didn’t know how to defeat Salem.

Then, “Obsidian,” said the Wizard. James looked at them. They stared out the window, their reflection’s expression was firm and grim. “I mentioned it once before, that it can hurt me. It can hurt her as well. Obsidian and Dust. If they were combined, alongside several magic blocking glyphs, it could kill her.”

“Okay,” said James. He could find those. Obsidian was sold in many places, and Dust was easy enough to get – they had a steady supply on the Beacon. “What else?”

The Wizard blew on the glass and drew a symbol in the glass. It was a perfect circle, with five lines coming out at equal intervals. In the centre, they drew a sideways eye.

“My symbol,” said the Wizard. “It will shut down Cinder’s magic, as well as anyone that Salem is helping.” James nodded. “It will shut down Salem as well, presuming you can put it on her, just as hers works on myself.”

“Okay,” said James. He nodded again. “Anything else?”

“She’ll need a blood sacrifice,” said the Wizard. “If she is to come to Earth, she’ll need a vessel and a sacrifice. The vessel must be a maiden, but the sacrifice…” The Wizard shook their head. “It can be anyone at all.”

James swallowed hard. “That’s… not good.”

“To say the least,” murmured the Wizard. The Wizard seemed to deflate. “The Four could stop her, James. And we have three of them.” A pause. “Well, two and a half.”

“Who are the others?” asked James. They’d talked about this before, but he’d never managed to understand. Who else held that kind of power? Who else could handle that kind of magic?

The Wizard only smiled, sad but there. “The powers aren’t simply drawn to strong people, James. They are drawn to those who embody what they embody.”

“What do they embody?” asked James.

“Spring, joy, Summer, wrath, Autumn, fear, and Winter…,” The Wizard seemed to shrug, “sorrow.” Another pause. “You’ll need to track them down. They are close, I promise you.”

James nodded, slow but sure. “Thank you,” he said. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure that… Salem doesn’t come through to Earth.” The Wizard said nothing, looking skeptical as they stared out the window. James reached out, this time putting his hand on the Wizard’s shoulder instead of pulling up short. “We won’t let her destroy everything.”

The Wizard nodded, slow and hesitant, but there.

“Thank you,” whispered the Wizard.

“Take care, Wizard,” said James. He turned and headed for the door.

“James?” called the Wizard. James paused, hand on the door frame.

“Yeah?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.

The Wizard turned, reds eyes soft and face tight. “My name is Ozpin.”

James blinked. “Ozpin,” he echoed. The Wizard nodded. “Thank you.”

And he turned and left, heading back toward the infirmary.

* * *

James was almost to Blake’s bed in the infirmary wing when a soft voice called his name. He turned to see Pyrrha sitting upright in her bed, rubbing at her eyes. Her hair hung like a waterfall around her, vivid against her pale, bruised skin.

“Pyrrha,” said James. He stepped into her room and up to the bed, sitting down on the end. “You’re awake.” His voice was soft, half full of wonder. “How do you feel?”

Pyrrha blinked a few times, hair hiding her face as she kept rubbing her eyes. “Tired,” she said, voice raspy. “But alive.” There was a long, painful pause. “Adam… did I?”

“Yes,” said James. “He’s dead.” Pyrrha nodded. She put her hands in her lap and stared at them, still not looking at him. “Can you… live with that?” asked James.

Pyrrha sniffled and then let out a shaky, self-deprecating laugh. “I mean, I’m not the suicidal type, so I kind of have to.” A few tears fell to the bed, splattering on her hands. James reached out with his right hand and laid it across hers. She sniffled again and looked up at him with a watery smile, and what James saw took his breath away.

The veins were gone. Which meant it wasn’t the Blight.

Her emerald green eyes had picked up a thousand flecks of bronze, turning her eyes from green to an otherworldly hazel that had James at a loss for words. He’d only seen such a metallic colour twice before – once in copper and once in gold.

“James?” asked Pyrrha. She blinked, and the bronze in her eyes picked up the fluorescent lights as she did and sent the light flying across her eyes, illuminating a hundred shades of bronze and green.

“Do you feel any different?” asked James, his voice hurried.

“A little,” said Pyrrha. “Lighter. But…”

“But?” prompted James.

“The anger,” said Pyrrha. “Against Cinder. Against Adam. It’s still there.” The bronze seemed to flash in her eyes. James swallowed. “I want her dead. But.” She shook her head. “I don’t think I can do it.” She flexed her hands, a pain in her entire body that had James wanting to reach out and hug her. “I don’t know if I _want_ to do it.”

James reached up and cupped the side of her face with one hand. Pyrrha leaned into it, eyes sad as she looked at him. “That’s okay,” said James. “She will be stopped. I promise.”

Pyrhha nodded.

“Can you promise me you won’t try and take her on by yourself?” asked James.

Pyrrha nodded again. “I promise,” she said, but James could see the lingering fury behind the sadness in her eyes. The way her body shifted with tension she couldn’t seem to shake. It was as if her anger – her vengeance – had simply lingered while she slept. Everything else had had a chance to process. But the anger was still there.

It worried him.

James dropped a kiss to Pyrrha’s forehead. “I have a masquerade next week to help with the Blight, do you think you’ll be up to attending?”

Pyrrha shook her head. “I don’t know. I think I’d rather stay up here with Penny.”

“Of course,” said James. He checked the time. “I’m afraid I have work, but I’ll be back tomorrow morning, all right?” Pyrrha nodded and James stood. He hesitated for a minute before heading to the door.

“James?” called Pyrrha, just as the Wizard had only an hour ago.

“Yes?” asked James, pausing in the door.

Pyrrha bit her lip, looking hesitant. Then, “I love you.”

James smiled, his heart warming. “I love you too,” he said. “Try and get some more rest.”

* * *

The masquerade ball came several days later, at the tail end of an announcement from Ironwood Industries that progress had been made on a vaccine. It was having luck in the labs, against animals and others, and James hoped that they’d be able to test it on those afflicted with the Blight before long. The people of Atlas had hope, and their fear was starting to diminish.

With the hope in the city, it would have been the perfect night for a masquerade, if not for the weather. Storm clouds had been gathering for several hours now and their darkness bled into the night sky, shadowing the snow-blanketed city of Atlas with a shroud that had James frowning.

It was a bad omen, if nothing else. But he tried not to think about it. And he also tried not to think about Blake and Pyrrha, up on the Beacon. Tukson was watching them, he reminded himself. Tukson and Winter were watching them along with Penny.

So, instead, he turned his attention to the party, and watched as everyone filtered into the ballroom and hall for the ball.

The masks were incredibly diverse, and so were the outfits that went with them. James spotted Bartholomew Oobleck, dressed in greens, and his partner Peter Port, dressed like a bull, slipping in together. Bart winked as he went by behind his mask.

Glynda was there as well, dressed in a strange, shimmering black dress that seemed to change colour in the light. She wore a black, feathered mask and capelet, and twirled when James caught sight of her.

“You look lovely,” said James, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “But I’m not sure I understand what you’re supposed to be.”

Glynda smiled, green eyes twinkling behind the mask. “Why James, how could you not? I’m a crow, of course.”

James narrowed his eyes. “Of course,” he said, a low tone in his voice as he drew her close. He whispered in her ear, “I thought you were coming as a flamingo.”

Glynda chuckled, the sound low and amused. “I thought this would be more fun,” she said. “Besides, what are you supposed to be?” She stepped back and gestured to his own outfit, before taking his left hand and leading him into the hall.

“I’m a bat,” said James. He reached up with his free hand to flick the upturned edges of his mask. “Hence the black.”

“Ah,” said Glynda. “Of course.” The amusement in her voice was mirrored on her face, and James narrowed his eyes again. Then, she seemed to see someone must more interesting than him, if the giddiness in her expression was anything to go by, and she excused herself and disappeared into the crowd.

James sighed and grabbed a champagne flute as a waiter went by. He took a deep swallow from it and looked around at the masquerade. Almost three hundred high profile members of the Atlas upper class circled the ballroom floor, or else stood off to the sides, at tables and chairs, chatting to other another while eating food that wasn’t nearly enough to James’ taste, and alcohol that would give them an excuse to be rude without drinking half enough for that to truly be the case.

James sipped his flute again, hearing it screech slightly against his covered metal hand as he squeezed it.

Qrow was rubbing off on him, if this was his opinion of high society. But then, why wouldn’t it be? After all, they’d done nothing to stop the Blight, nor the evacuation of the areas afflicted by the Freeze – which had spread approximately one hundred and thirteen feet from its original location. That was why he was throwing this fundraiser, to ensure that he had the money to do what needed to be done.

Not that any of them cared, really.

“You look bitter.” James looked to his right to see Qrow, dressed in brilliant blues, purples, and greens. The elongated feathers of his mask and suit jacket made James raise an eyebrow.

“What _are_ you?” asked James. Qrow grinned behind his slightly beaked mask, rusty eyes flickering. James felt his heart pang and his head ached awfully. He set down his champagne flute and rubbed the spot just above his metal eyebrow.

“Peacock,” said Qrow. Then, “Are you all right?” The concern in his voice was painfully familiar, but James shook it off.

“Fine,” he said. The song switched over on the dance floor to something more modern, but still slow, and James held out his hand to Qrow, smiling weakly. “Want to dance?” he asked. Qrow had never answered his text message, but he was here, and that was what was important.

He still had no idea what was going on. Between he and Qrow. And he and Nevermore. Intimacy that wasn’t strictly sexual and romance that wasn’t strictly courting. James didn’t understand half of it anymore. Wasn’t sure how much he actually cared, and how much he felt he just had to.

 _“You’re a fraud and you know it,”_ went the song as James led Qrow into a slow dance. _“But it’s too good to throw it all away.”_

“Nice song,” said Qrow, drily.

James shrugged. “I thought it was appropriate,” he said. He settled one hand on Qrow’s waist, the other – his right – tangling their fingers together as they danced. Qrow’s right hand rested on his shoulder, thumb rubbing slow circles into his suit jacket. “How are things at the hospital?”

“Fine,” said Qrow, the lines around his face tight. James pressed his lips together, wanting to ask more. “Yang is awake and Ruby…” He shook his head. “She’s stable. That’s what matters.”

“Of course,” said James. He stroked one finger across Qrow’s hip and saw the uneven flush burst around Qrow’s ears. “I’ve been worried about you.”

Qrow smiled at him, soft and sad, but touched all the same. “Thanks,” he said. “It’s been hard, but…” He shrugged. “I’m dealing with it.”

James nodded as he twirled them around the dance floor. “Of course,” he murmured, stroking Qrow’s hip again. “As long as you’re all right.”

 _“But it’s always been a smoke and mirrors game,”_ went the song, _“anyone would do the same.”_

Qrow was silent for a minute as they danced, his eyes distant and his lips pulled into a thin line. James tried to think of something to cheer him up. Something that would make it easier for Qrow to enjoy the night, or at least talk to James privately.

“Qrow,” started James, but Qrow cut him off.

“Do you ever get tired of wearing a mask?” asked Qrow, he stared at James with firm eyes and firmer lips.

James started, eyes growing wide as the words echoed back in his head in a different voice. “What?” he croaked, blinking hard. Their footsteps stumbled. James regained control and kept them moving before anyone noticed.

“You know, of pretending to be something you’re not?” asked Qrow.

James swallowed hard. “What – what do you mean?” he managed. How could Qrow and Nevermore…? What was going on?

“You don’t just hide your face,” said Qrow, “with one of these.” He took his hand off James’ shoulder to nudge James’ mask. James swallowed hard. “You hide who you really are.”

“You don’t say?” James asked, voice cracking slightly. Qrow smiled at him, something in his rusty gaze that James couldn’t place.

But the familiarity of the rust struck him hard in the gut, and suddenly he was staring at that rust through a different lens. A different time; a different place. A dozen different interactions in which that damn gaze had struck him as familiar.

 _“You’re desperate to deliver,”_ sang the song above them, _“anything that could give you a sense of reassurance, when you look in the mirror.”_

“People don’t say your name like I do, Jim,” said Qrow. His voice was low and throaty and James wanted to wrap himself in it forever. “You’re an incredible man, why hide it?”

James swallowed again and tried to find his voice. “Sometimes we have to wear masks,” said James. He caught the crooked quirk to Qrow’s lips, the shift in his eyebrows and the light in his eyes. Surprised, just barely, but there all the same. “To keep ourselves, and the people around us, safe.”

Qrow nodded. Tightened his hold on James as they spun.

 _“Such highs and lows, you put on quite a show,”_ went the song.

“Sometimes a mask is the only way…”

“…to make it through the day,” finished Qrow in a soft murmur. The two stared at each other, something between them – tense but relaxed all at once. Curious in its searching.

“Yeah,” said James.

“Don’t you get sick of it?” asked Qrow.

“Don’t you?” said James. He cracked a smile and Qrow did the same, hesitant and hopeful all at once. “You wear a mask as well, Qrow.” He rubbed circles with his thumb on Qrow’s hip. “Don’t act like you’re any better than I am.”

Qrow’s lips twitched. The song started to wind down.

“We do what we have to,” said James. He pulled Qrow closer, voice throaty. “To survive.”

“Yeah,” said Qrow, voice just as throaty. His breath ghosted James’ jaw.

 _“Well do you even want to know?”_ finished the song. _“Yeah, you put on quite a show.”_

“I guess,” said Qrow as they stopped dancing.

The two stared at each other for a few long, silent moments. Qrow smirked; James stared.

“James.” It was Glynda. Her black costume clung to her with her fear as she came up to them. “We need to go. Something’s happening downtown, at the plaza next to the memorial hospital.”

James nodded. Qrow released James and stepped back, a twinkle in his eye as he disappeared into the crowd.

“See ya on the flip side, Jimmy,” said Qrow, a chuckle in his voice. Then he was gone.

James narrowed his eyes at the spot where Qrow had disappeared.

“James,” said Glynda again, voice tighter this time. “We need to go. _Now._ ”

James nodded and followed her out of the hall, grabbing Bart and Peter as he went.

* * *

The rain had started by the time James and Glynda got downtown. The rest of the Guild was on their way, coming as fast as they could, but for the moment, it was only James and Glynda. Bart and Peter had gone up to the Beacon to get their costumes, and everyone else was coming with them.

The two worked their way through the smothering darkness and rain. It splattered hard onto the slick black ground. Only distant rumbles of thunder and sharp flashes of occasional lightning broke the all encompassing black and wet.

“See anything?” asked James. He shifted, continuously turning in order to see from every angle. There was nothing in the shadows that he could see. Nothing that he could hear outside of thunder and rain.

“No,” said Glynda. She flicked her wand over, twirling it across her hand. “Stay sharp.”

“Of course.” The two spread out, circling the plaza that strange activity had been centered in. Police had cleared the plaza before James and Glynda had arrived, but James didn’t understand why. What had happened here? And where had it all gone?

The distress call had said monsters were attacking the plaza, but James saw nothing now. Nothing but shadow and fog, inky black night mixed with thundering rain. He frowned and kept shifting, kept walking. Taser up and stance prepared for defense if need-be. His gaze kept flicking back to the Ryan Caret Memorial Hospital, wondering if he could keep the people inside safe.

James swallowed. There was something wrong about this entire situation. A feeling off being off-centre that James didn’t like. It was as if he was being watched. As if this entire situation had been a trap.

There was a crack as he stepped on something. He looked down, moving his foot, and bent to pick up the broken object.

It was a White Fang mask.

James spun, mouth already opening to warn Glynda, but a monster shot out of the shadows and slammed into her.

“White Queen!” called James as she grappled with it. Growls behind James alerted him and he spun, metal coated right arm coming up just in time to take a gapping maw to the side. He skidded back. Stared at monster as he shook it off and it straightened up. It looked almost like… a wolf. A tall, black wolf with a white mask and red eyes.

James swore and dove out of the way as it came at him. Four more appeared from the shadows, circling him slowly as they took position. James flipped over his Taser and shot it, taking a wolf monster to the chest. It howled as it went down, but others immediately swarmed James.

He ducked left. Right. Twisted around. A wolf monster hit him in the shoulder and he dropped his Taser. Twisted to grab it and held open its jaws. Booted it in the chest and it went flying. Then another shoved him down on his back, jaws snapping.

James tried to get leverage but it had his legs pinned. He grabbed its jaw and forced it back. Struggled as it tried to force itself forward. Another one was coming. It loomed closer and closer.

And then a shield was slamming into the side of the wolf atop him. Its head fell separate from its body. Both exploded into smoke and oil.

James rolled over to his feet and leaped back as the other wolf came at him. He stepped into his punch, slammed it in the top of the mouth with his right hand. It hit the ground. He stopped on its head and it exploded into oil and smoke.

He turned just in time to see the bronze shield swing back around and land in Pyrrha’s held out hand.

She grinned at James, eyes equal parts bronze and green behind her mask. “Somebody call for reinforcements?” she asked. James smiled back at her. Then he spun, grabbed a wolf by the throat, and slammed it to the ground.

It stayed down.

The rest of the Guild spread out from behind Pyrrha, tearing after the strange, oily monsters. Bits of White Fang masks clung to their heads and faces. Warped, but there. Red eyes, red lines.

James joined up with Pyrrha and the two tore into the monsters. Back to back, then side by side. Her shields and his fists. They shredded bears, wolves, and even something that looked like a boar. Two horses, red and white in inky darkness, reared up.

James and Pyrrha nodded to one another. She tore left, he tore right. Swung up onto the monster and caught in across the head so that its white mask went flying.

There was nothing in those red eyes when James looked into them. He grimaced, caught the beast, and tore its head from its neck.

_She’d been White Fang, once._

He shook off the thought and turned to help Pyrrha, just as her shield cut through the neck of the beast and took it to the ground. Both horse monsters vanished into sludge and smoke.

All around them, the fighting continued. More and more of the shadow creatures poured from the darkness. The rain slicked the ground as everyone slid to maintain control. They were vastly outnumbered, but they held the line.

“Don’t let them get back into the city!” roared James over the thunder. He caught one of the great crocodile creatures and leapt onto its back, driving one of its broken fangs back through its eye socket. It roared and died. Smoke and shadow. Oil and ink.

An explosion came from the entrance to the memorial hospital. James spun, eyes wide. Two figures emerged from it, already turning to set another.

“Polaris!” shouted James. Both shields took off passed his head. Each one whacked into one of the figures before shooting back. Both figures turned.

Glowing gold eyes marked one. Glowing red, another. The two figures ran toward them, the red eyed one wearing a cloak that hid everything but their glowing eyes from James.

“Polaris, back,” called James. The two both stepped back just as the figures hit. The cloaked one went for Pyrrha, and the gold one – _Cinder,_ James recognized now – came for James.

James side-stepped as much as he could. Scrambling backward to avoid glass and fire alike as she shot it at him. Massive fields of it. Behind her, smoke billowed from the hospital entrance.

“Hummingbird, emergency evac protocol,” shouted James as he side-stepped Cinder again. Drove his elbow into her back. She stumbled and spun, skidding backward on the wet concrete.

 _Glass shoes_ , James saw.

She grinned at him. Came again. James twisted and turned. Side-stepped and skid. Tried to avoid her as best as he could and hoped for a good outcome. In the background, he could see Pyrrha struggling against the other figure. The woman with red eyes that Blake had mentioned. The woman who couldn’t be Salem.

Penny’s swords cut through both fights as she touched down, entire body lit up like the night sky.

James pushed against Cinder, grabbing her hands on the next swing. The heat seared across his skin and his coating switched to carbon steel to protect him. He shoved her back. Tried to gain leverage.

Her shoes shattered. Her feet hit the ground. Glass swarmed up around James and tried to jam itself into his body. He yelped, stumbling back. Hands over his face to keep it from piercing.

In the corner of his eye he saw Penny and Pyrrha fall to the woman. Saw her bring up a strange, glowing red sword for a final strike.

“No!” shouted James. Cinder slammed him in the chest and he went back. Screamed as the woman’s sword came down.

Nevermore dropped out of the sky in a flurry of feathers and smoke. Sword up and catching the woman’s at an angle. Both glowed red. _He had Taurus’ sword._

James twisted out of the way of Cinder’s next attack. Swung back to his feet and hefted a broken strip of metal that had been ripped from a light post. Cinder grinned at him. Held out her hands as fire swarmed her body and lifted her into the air.

She smiled coldly, hurling glass and fire at him. Fast and hard and powerful until James was scrambling around the plaza, trying to keep himself from getting killed.

And all around him the battle raged on. The Guild fought monsters. Nevermore fought the woman. Two swords clashed with red that wasn’t blood. But maybe it was. James couldn’t tell over the ringing in his ears what was what anymore. He ducked and spun. Arms coming up just in time to block a hail of glass and fire that sent him hurtling back into a light post.

It bent as he hit it. His entire body exploded with pain. James stared as Cinder approached. Coughed and tasted blood. His coating was broken across his metal arm. Pain licked at it like fire.

“Such fools these mortals be,” murmured Cinder. Her bare feet scarcely made a sound amidst the roaring thunder and the pounding rain. “Tell me, General, I’ve been told you’re a man of faith.”

James nodded. Spat blood onto the slick black ground.

“So then,” said Cinder. She chuckled, lifting her arms. From the shadows they came, glinting pieces that formed into a bow and arrow in Cinder’s arms. Their purple glow made James’ stomach clench and his heart drop. “Where is your god now?”

“ _Ozpin_ ,” breathed James, too low for her to hear. “Ozpin, please.”

Cinder’s smile spread and she drew back, her glowing eyes and glowing weapon all that James could see.

She fired.

James braced, but it never hit. A flash of red and white in front of him as lightning lit up the plaza. Pyrrha snarled, her shields whipping around her. The arrow slammed into the ground, somewhere to James’ left. Its glow faded.

“Don’t you _dare_ touch him.” Pyrrha’s words were a growl. A warning if James had ever heard one. He got to his feet, shakily. Stood behind Pyrrha, shifting back to a defensive stance.

Cinder only smiled and tipped her head to one side. “Pyrrha Nikos,” she said, a sort of fond amusement in her voice. As if she were looking at a small animal. “My, my, how you have changed.”

With a frown, James took half a step back. Something wasn’t right.

A curse as Nevermore was thrown back. He vanished and reappeared behind the red woman. She spun and caught his sword across hers. More monsters poured in from the shadows.

“What do you want?” asked Pyrrha, her voice crackling with worry. Like the lightning that pierced the nearby tower. And then the cityscape faded into darkness all around them, stretching on forever in every direction.

Cinder circled them, silent as ever. Her weapon vanished, the pieces falling away, back into the shadows. “Tell me, how are the new powers treating you?” she asked.

Pyrrha’s shields hung in the air, wobbling as she straightened up. “Powers?” she echoed.

None of the monsters came near them, James saw. They all stayed at least ten feet back. If not more. They were in the eye of the battle – and with the lightning flashes all around them, James thought they were in the eye of the storm as well.

Rain splattered. His vision blurred before he blinked away the rain clinging to his metal coating.

“Come now,” said Cinder, spreading her hands. “You can’t possibly believe that your changing eyes are simply coincidence, especially after that night at the warehouse.”

Pyrrha frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Bronze, aren’t they?” asked Cinder, but her tone said she already knew the answer. James watched her circle them. When she passed by Nevermore and the woman’s fight, James saw the ground crack around them. Illuminated only for a second by the lightning.

Cinder was still glowing.

“You see, when I received mine, my eyes turned gold,” said Cinder. She reached up and tapped one. “That friend of yours, in a coma. Amber, is it not?” Pyrrha nodded. She stared at Cinder with a slack, terrified face. Her eyes had begun to glow, throwing light around her body. James reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. “Hers are copper.”

Cinder chuckled. “And the last one, Winter.” Cat-like this time, that smile. “Hers are silver.”

 _“No,”_ breathed James, eyes going wide.

“You’re lying,” snapped Pyrrha. “I’m not… I can’t.” She stared at her hands. The winds began to howl. They picked up around Pyrrha, the three of them in the eye. Guild members shouted as they were shoved back several feet. “I can’t…” James remembered the warehouse. The shipping containers.

The unnatural storm.

“Pyrrha,” he said, squeezing her shoulder. He didn’t take his eyes off Cinder. “You need to breathe.”

Pyrrha took several deep, shaking breaths. Her entire body trembled beneath James’ firm grasp. He grimaced as his metal coating started to creak and bend.

“And yet,” said Cinder. She spread her hands. “There we have it.”

“Pyrrha,” said James. “Take a deep breath, it’ll be okay.”

Pyrrha shook her head. “No, no, that’s impossible.” She put her hands to the sides of her head. Winds whipped around them.

“Steel!” shouted White Queen. Her constructs whipped around the funnel cloud, grabbing Guild members to keep them safe.

“Tell me, Miss Nikos,” said Cinder. She took a step forward. “Do you believe in destiny?”

Pyrrha swallowed audibly. “Yes,” she said, voice wavering.

“I rewrote yours,” said Cinder, “to fit my design. Everything you’ve accomplished since I first saw you on that cell phone video – the first time you stepped out into the world with Chlorophyll – that was me.”

Pyrrha shook her head vigorously. “No, no, no. That’s impossible. You’re lying. _You’re lying!”_ Wind whipped around Cinder. She didn’t leave the ground. Fire swirled out into the vortex and destroyed the wind.

James stumbled, gripping his head as Pyrrha compressed his metal coating to his body. If he didn’t drop it, he risked dying from her. But if he did, Cinder would destroy him in an instant.

“Really?” asked Cinder. She shrugged. “It wasn’t hard, once the Blight got going. I saw you and I knew you were the one. So I ensured that everyone else eligible sick with my disease.” She grinned, all teeth and hunger. “And I waited until you went after Adam.”

“No. I killed him because he killed my parents,” said Pyrrha. “That was _my decision._ ” Her voice broke. Tears in her tone. Lightning flashed. Rain poured. James took a knee and stared up into the smoke and shadow. Monsters kept swarming.

“So he didn’t goad you into it?” asked Cinder.

It was as if a dam broke. The wind picked up until Pyrrha rose into the air. Monsters and Guild members alike screamed as they rose with her. James stared, caught in the eye and still on the ground. White light erupted around Pyrrha’s eyes in the same butterfly formation as Cinder’s flames around her own eyes.

“Yes,” called Cinder. “Give me your power, child. And all of this will go away.” The sing-song pitch to her voice made James’ head spin. “Or else you will watch everyone you love die.”

Pyrrha wobbled. Her shields hit the ground, driving several inches into the concrete.

“Or did you forget that Autumn is destruction? Fear?” Cinder’s voice rose and so did her flames. They erupted into the vortex. Dust and red streaks and purple constructs swirled in the funnel cloud as it consumed the plaza. If Pyrrha didn’t pull back, she would hit the hospital.

“War,” said Cinder. James stumbled. “Famine.” The breath went out of him. He gasped, scrambling for his throat. “Pestilence.” He clawed at his coating as it rusted and burned his body. “ _Death._ All the powers of Autumn fear.”

“Stop!” shouted Pyrrha. She hit the ground. Everything dropped in an enormous crash. James sucked in a tight, gasping breath. He looked up, tears in his eyes and entire body heaving. “I won’t give you my power. You already have two, why not just kill me?”

Cinder laughed, loud and mocking. “Oh, child. I don’t have the Spring Maiden’s power.”

“What?” asked Pyrrha.

 _What?_ James’ thoughts echoed.

“Spring and Autumn are natural opposites. I can’t take her power anymore than you can take Winter’s,” said Cinder.

“Then who…” James and Pyrrha’s gazes went to the red woman in unison. The ground below Nevermore exploded on the next flash of lightning. Vines ripped up from the ground and shot toward him. He spun and slashed, leaping into the air in a blur of black and red. Sliced through them. Rolled. Tore off in another direction.

The others were regrouping, attacking monsters that refused to vanish.

“Once I have yours, I will take hers,” said Cinder, gesturing to the hospital. “And then no one will _ever_ tell me what to do again. They will know the name Cinder Fall.” She clenched her fist. Fire exploded around the plaza, separating the three from the Guild once more. “They will know _fear.”_

“No!” shouted Pyrrha. Her shields came up. She launched herself at Cinder with a scream. James watched in horror as Cinder batted her aside like a rag doll. Pyrrha hit a lamp post and fell onto her stomach. She didn’t get back up.

Through the rain, James saw Cinder approach him. Saw her conjure her bow and arrow once more, drawing it back and offering him a smile that could have almost been sympathetic, if not for the cruelty in her eyes.

“Terribly sorry, General,” said Cinder. “But you know what they saw about trauma.”

Another great flash of lightning illuminated the plaza. And then the monsters exploded. Cinder stumbled and James stared. Watched as the monsters exploded from the inside out, their red lines turning green before consuming them whole.

A flash of green lightning struck the space between James and Cinder, and there, wearing their cloak and wielding a scythe, was the Wizard. And in the oily black smear of the late night thunderstorm, they could have almost been Death. Illuminated only by the ever-increasing lightning streaks that lit up the plaza intermittently.

“ _Cinder_ ,” growled the Wizard.

Cinder flickered her wrists and shifted her stance, letting her bow fall away to nothingness.

“Wizard,” said Cinder. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet the man behind the curtain.” She scoffed. “It’s unfortunate that no man is capable of taking me.”

“I am no man,” said the Wizard.

Two pairs of glowing eyes met, gold and green. And then a green shield erupted around the two, throwing James back until he was level with Glynda. The shield also drove apart Nevermore and the woman, who were scattered to opposite sides. With the size, Nevermore would have to leave the plaza to get to her. And there was no telling what was beyond the plaza anymore.

“What do we do?” asked Glynda.

“We pray,” said James.

They watched, alongside the rest of the Guild, as the Wizard and Cinder came at each other in a clash of magic, glass, and light that James could scarcely fathom.

The two were equally matched. Cinder skid across the ground, superheating the ground with a well-placed drag of her hand. She lifted the glass shards and shot them at the Wizard. They swept their scythe fast enough that James couldn’t follow the action. Only saw the afterimages of the Wizard destroying them.

Spirals of green shot toward Cinder like torpedoes. She back flipped, once, twice, three times. Landed and ducked low onto her knees. Skid as the green torpedoes hit the shield and exploded.

Back on her feet, fire ripping around the edge of the shield. She darted in. A sweep of the scythe and she was blown back. The Wizard swung the scythe in an arch. Sent green waves toward Cinder. Two tagged her in the gut. She stumbled and took a knee.

The Wizard came forward. Swung. Missed. Swung again. Cinder danced back. Hands came up, glowing, and caught the green blade of the scythe. Light erupted around them. James shielded his eyes.

When he could see again, they’d traded places. Cinder was in the air, then the ground. Then the Wizard was doing the same. A dozen glyphs appeared in alternating green and gold. Neither familiar to James.

One of the glyphs solidified for a split second and Cinder slammed it into the Wizard’s forehead. They stumbled. The green blade of their scythe flickered.

Cinder back-flipped away from the next movement. In mid-air, she conjured her bow and drew. Shot. The Wizard just barely missed the arrow. It struck into the ground on the other side of the shield from James. Another flash of lightning. Light from inside the shield. It was enough for James to realize what the weapon was made of.

Dark purple glass, stained with the glitters of Dust. And… he looked closer. Was that ash?

_Obsidian._

“Wizard!” shouted James in warning. The Wizard didn’t seem to hear him. They kept coming at Cinder; their scythe crossed with her swords, but the glow of the swords – golden and purple all at once – outdid the glow of the scythe. The Wizard hit the edge of the shield. Their scythe hit the ground.

Cinder stepped forward but the Wizard danced around her. Kept just ahead of her as they moved. But their movements were slowing, and fear formed a pit in James’ throat.

Then, just as the Wizard leapt back, Cinder thrust forward. The Wizard wasn’t fast enough to avoid the blades.

And the whole world seemed to go silent. The rain held, frozen in mid-air.

There, in the centre of the shield, was the Wizard, with one of Cinder’s swords sticking out of their back. Black blood gleamed against the blade and Cinder’s eyes glowed in front of the Wizard’s face.

The shield flickered. The blade held, thrust just under the Wizard’s – _Ozpin’s_ – ribs.

Their eyes flickered. Their hood fell. Green eyes and green lines. Then red and black. Then green again. They gasped, the only sound in the storm.

“Salem sends her regards, _Ozpin,_ ” said Cinder. And then she pulled her sword from their body, and Ozpin fell alongside the shield.

James watched in horror. Unable to do anything else. Somewhere, a girl was screaming, but he could scarcely hear it above the thump-thumping of his heart.

“No,” he breathed.

“No!” screamed Penny. She leapt forward, a flurry of glowing green and lightning fast vengeance. A smoke escaped Ozpin’s body and arched toward Cinder. She turned to fight Penny, but was too slow.

Penny’s swords cut fast across her face and body, sending Cinder flying back. Penny touched down where Cinder had been standing and threw out one hand. The smoke flew into Penny, her green lines sharp and explosive against her skin.

An arrow came out of the sky. A shield whipped across and caught it, sending it to the ground. Penny stumbled. Some of the smoke went into Cinder.

With a scream, Penny launched herself at Cinder again, a bright blast of green energy erupting from her hands. Cinder’s own fiery glow erupted from her, but it was too little too late. She slammed into a building on the outside edge of the plaza and didn’t move.

Penny wobbled and fell. James caught her.

The woman with red eyes darted forward to grab Cinder and Nevermore threw himself at her. The two clashed, swords crossing, and Nevermore kicked her chest. Her head snapped back. Her hood fell.

A woman with rusty red eyes, pale skin, and long, black hair stared back at Nevermore and James. Black and red veins stretched across her face and neck.

“Raven,” breathed Nevermore. She flashed a smile at him, predatory and cruel, and grabbed Cinder. Before anyone could recover, she slashed her sword in the air, seemingly cutting through the world itself. A black and red portal appeared and she carried Cinder through it. Then, they were gone.

“Nevermore,” called James, scooping up Penny. “We need to go.”

Pyrrha was sobbing off to the side, her glow expanding to her entire body. Glynda held her close.

“The girls,” croaked Nevermore. “I need to get the girls.”

James nodded, temporarily locking gazes with those rusty lens that he now recognized. “Go,” he said. “I’ll meet you on the Beacon.”

Nevermore nodded and ran off for the hospital, the rain having long since put out the fire.

James turned with the Guild, cradling Penny’s unconscious body as Glynda led Pyrrha and Tukson carried Ozpin’s body. And as they left the plaza, the rain began to fall again, and the storm continued its rage against Atlas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love!


	5. Act Three: Part Two: Salem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks, the final chapter of Smells Like Team Spirit. The story was two chapters and thirty thousand words longer than I expected it to be, and it took an entire month longer than I thought it would to finish it off. But I've done it. I've finally finished it, and I couldn't be prouder.
> 
> This is the longest part yet, at just over 20,000 words, but I think every one of those words is important. Hopefully, you will as well.
> 
> So much of this story has changed since I started writing it, and so much of it was shaped by all of you. But, at the end of the day, the story was told, and victory? Well, you'll see, won't you?
> 
> I'll leave my ramblings to down below, once you've finished, and also to the wrap-up post, which is linked at the bottom of the chapter. But suffice to say, I'm absolutely stoked to see this done, and I want to thank you all for being on the journey with me. And if you come in later, after this is all over? Then I hope you've enjoyed reading.
> 
> Cheers, everyone. And sit back for the final chapter of Smells Like Team Spirit.

For the first time since James had joined the Guild, there were civilians on the Beacon. Taiyang Xiao Long, Yang Xiao Long, and Ruby Rose were currently on the Beacon – Yang and Ruby were asleep in the infirmary and Taiyang was in the meeting room, leaned against the table as he frowned and stared blankly at the floor.

Nevermore – Qrow – was standing across from Taiyang, leaned against the wall with closed eyes. The red lenses of his cowl were gone. His eyelids were visible. The cowl was still up, but James didn’t think it would stay up much longer. Not with everything else going on.

James took a deep breath and rubbed his face – uncovered, the metal gone – with his gloved right hand. He stood in the doorway of the meeting room, looking at the various members of the Guild that were there. His gaze lingered on Bart, currently only half in his Hummingbird costume. The other half was destroyed. His back and torso torn open. Glynda was patching him up.

Hummingbird had gotten back up to the Beacon first.

Blake, or whatever was left of her, had greeted him. They had her locked down in one of the infirmary room beds now. James didn’t know if she’d ever transform back from the upright mutant cat creature she’d become.

She didn’t have a bone faceplate. She hadn’t been wearing the White Fang masks.

God, how many others had walked away and transformed, sans mask? How many others had torn through the city, with mask, that they’d never seen? But they didn’t have the manpower to find them all. They didn’t have the people to go track them all down.

The city was Cinder’s, provided she was still alive, and at the moment, there was nothing the Guild could do about it.

“Nevermore,” said James. His voice was soft and tired, but firm all the same. It was an old combination that he’d never enjoyed. Qrow tilted his head toward James, eyes opening to reveal his rusty gaze. _Rusty gaze. Rusty lenses._ How many times had he compared the two without ever realizing? How stupid could he be? Qrow had been hiding in plain sight this entire time, and James had been too blind to realize what had been staring him right in the face.

“Let’s take a walk,” said James. Qrow glanced to Taiyang, who continued to stare blankly at the floor, then at Hummingbird and Blunderbuss, who chatted quietly with one another. With a nod, he pushed off the wall and crossed the room to James on heavy feet.

Together, they headed through the Beacon in silence.

Through the halls, past rooms, then circling back without much thought. They ended up at the Wizard… at _Ozpin’s_ office, before long. James was scared to open the door.

He did it anyway.

What greeted him almost made him collapse to his knees. Qrow slid an arm around him. His words were distant and echoing.

“James? James!”

The gears had fallen. Ozpin’s gears had fallen.

They really were dead.

James stumbled into the room, fingers reaching out to one of the dozens of gears that lay piled on the floor. His hand, his bare, left hand, stroked the surface. Smooth. Metal. Copper. James let out a choked sob and collapsed to his knees, his face in his hands and his entire body heaving.

Ozpin was dead. The gears had fallen.

They had lost.

They had lost. People had died. Ozpin was dead. The gears had fallen. Everything was falling. And Cinder was rising, rising to power as the Guild fell out of the sky in all but the literal sense of the word.

“James.” Hands on his shoulders. A voice next to his ears. He blinked. Stared. Squinted. Qrow, cowl down, face pulled into concern, eyes as soft as James had ever seen them, solidified in front of James. “Talk to me.”

“How are we supposed to stop her, if the most powerful person we knew was killed by one of her underlings?” whispered James. Salem. How could they stop Salem? How could they stop _Cinder_? God, nothing made sense anymore.

Qrow faltered visibly. He shuffled around James and nudged him so that they were leaning against the fallen gears together, legs splayed out in front of them. James stared blankly at the open door into the hallway. Tried to get his mind back together. But every time he tried, his mind returned to the scene in the courtyard. Dark and rainy, thunder and lightning. The flash of power and then the stink of death.

If Cinder was still alive – and she probably was, nothing was that easy and Penny hadn’t hit her hard enough – then she had everything she needed to take Atlas. All the Guild had was a bunch of unconscious teenage girls who never asked to be dragged into this war. James wasn’t Ozpin. He couldn’t ask them to fight.

He wouldn’t.

He had to.

“‘Tell me who you want me to be,’” said Qrow.

James’ head snapped toward Qrow, brow furrowed. “What?” he asked.

“That’s what she used to say, before bad missions,” said Qrow. He closed his eyes and James saw them shimmering. “‘Tell me who you want me to be.’” He drew up his legs and draped one arm across them. “Raven always had a hard time with morals and image. Said some days she only knew who she was by how people defined her.”

James was silent, unsure of what to say.

“But she wasn’t amoral. Ever. She may have struggled with who she was, but she said she could always count on us to bring her back. Said we had stronger morals and images.” Qrow shrugged. His lower lip trembled. “And that’s why I know she’s not herself right now. Raven would _never_ do this. No matter how bad she got. No matter how much she struggled, she wasn’t… _this._ ” His voice cracked.

James frowned.

“She wasn’t a monster,” whispered Qrow.

“We don’t know what… the witch is capable of,” said James, slowly. He reached out and put a hand on Qrow’s shoulder, then slipped it around Qrow’s shoulders and let Qrow lean into him. He rested his own cheek on the top of Qrow’s head, which rested on his shoulder. “We don’t even know if that is Raven.”

“We’re twins,” said Qrow. His voice cracked as he spoke. “We’re fucking _twins_ , James. Why didn’t I sense her? Why did I have to see her face to know it was her?” Tears wet James’ shoulder. He rubbed soothing circles in Qrow’s. “We fought together for years and I didn’t know it was her. What kind of brother am I?”

James didn’t have an answer. He didn’t think there was one.

They sat there in silence for some time, neither one speaking, neither one truly thinking. Just sitting in silence and leaning on one another for stability.

“We should sleep,” said James, after a time. “We’ll need our strength, if we want to take down Cinder and the witch.”

“And Raven,” said Qrow, firmly. “I want to know what happened to her. I want to know if…” He took a shaky breath. “If we have to kill her.”

“Okay,” said James. He pulled them both to their feet and guided Qrow to his room.

* * *

 

James watched as Qrow stripped methodically out of his Nevermore get-up. Cape, cowl, gloves, shirt, pants, until he was standing, shivering, in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs. He crawled under the covers of James’ bed and wrapped the quilt at the end of the bed around his shoulders.

James hesitated at the end of the bed, standing in the uniform he always wore under his coating. Qrow raised an eyebrow at him, the tiniest twinkle in his eye despite the pain they were both surrounded by.

“You know you’ve fucked me, right?” said Qrow. “The metal dick didn’t freak me out, neither will this.”

“It’s not the metal I’m worried about,” murmured James. And it wasn’t. The prosthetics were something that were partially common knowledge. The arm and the leg, anyway. As much as he kept them covered, it was known that he had them. They were part of him. And while some days he hated them, most days they didn’t bother him. No, it wasn’t the prosthetics that bothered him, most days.

It was the scars.

Great, scrawling things that covered a significant portion of his left side. They trailed from where flesh met metal across his chest. Curled across his flesh hip and up his back, then wrapped partially around his flesh shoulder. Parts of his collarbone were covered as well. He hated them most days.

“James.” Qrow’s voice was as tender as his gaze. “I won’t run.”

James peeled off his glove and his coat, setting them down. He took a deep breath and started on the rest of the suit. Vest, belt, tie, and then the button-up discarded. That left him in an undershirt that did little to hide the scar tissue that connected his metal right side and his flesh left side.

Qrow’s gaze slid across James, hesitant and curious all at once. He ran his tongue over his lower lip, pupils visibly dilating.

“Qrow?” asked James, voice tight.

A soft noise slipped out of Qrow and he swallowed visibly. “I… I cannot get over how fucking attractive you are.” His voice was a croak, barely there and barely recognizable. “How is that even _fair_?”

James felt his entire body flush and he ducked his head, rubbing the area beneath his nose with the side of his hand. “Ah…” He cleared his throat. “Thank you.” He wasn’t sure if he believed Qrow. Wasn’t sure how much he _wanted_ to believe Qrow. He wasn’t exactly most people’s first choice in a partner, especially once they saw him naked.

“Take off the rest,” whispered Qrow. “Please.”

James nodded and peeled off his undershirt, slowly and with shaking hands. He cast it aside and looked at Qrow, trepidation dancing along his spine. Qrow smiled. James reached for his pants and let them hit the ground, stepping out of them to reveal black boxers. He climbed up the bed to Qrow and hesitated.

Qrow closed the distance, reaching up with both hands to cup James’ face before dragging him down to kiss him. James stumbled a bit, hands coming around to pin Qrow on either side and his knees joining quickly after.

He let his body lower until it rested atop Qrow’s, let their kisses deepen until James wasn’t sue where one ended and the next began. Let himself be washed away in the gentle sensation of his body against Qrow’s, of his lips against Qrow’s, of his world against Qrow’s.

When they pulled back, foreheads together, James saw the tenderness in his heart mirrored on Qrow’s face, plain as day. Qrow reached up and brushed his fingers through James’ hair, his thumb still on James’ face.

“Hey,” whispered Qrow.

“Hey,” whispered James. He felt Qrow shift beneath him and _oh_. James’ cheeks heated, but Qrow didn’t seem at all embarrassed by his current condition. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah,” said Qrow. His voice was hoarse and low as he kept brushing his fingers through James’ hair. “I don’t wanna think about much else right now.”

“Me neither,” said James, and he kissed Qrow again. They fell into each other, hands on each other’s bodies and lips on each other’s. Soft noises and softer touches that had Qrow groaning quietly beneath him.

James tugged at Qrow’s underwear, pulling it off. His own followed quickly after, both of them dropping to the floor.

“Turn over,” murmured James, his lips on Qrow’s collarbone.

He lifted off Qrow enough for Qrow to roll over, and James smoothed his hands down Qrow’s sides, running his tongue across his lower lip. Qrow tilted his head to look back at him, a soft smile at his face.

“Well?” asked Qrow. “You coming?”

James snorted, unable to help the next words that fell from his lips. “With any luck, we both will be.”

Qrow grinned, a soft chuckle sliding out of him as he buried his face half into the pillow. “That’s just _bad._ ”

“You laughed,” said James. He leaned over to the end table and drew open the drawer, pulling out a little container of lube. He’d had it up here for a while, but he knew it was still fine. It was for emergencies after all.

Sexual emergencies, as Qrow would say.

James leaned forward and pressed a kiss between Qrow’s shoulders. Then he pressed a second one further down, and then another, and then another. He trailed the kisses down Qrow’s back, lingering at his hips. He teased the skin between his hip bones with little nips and kisses, fingers dancing across the rest of the skin to smooth out the tension that lingered in Qrow’s body.

“Good?” murmured James.

“Yeah,” said Qrow, his voice a sigh. His head was pillowed in his arms and his eyes were half-hooded, his pupils blown wide beneath the fringe of his eyelashes. James licked a stripe down Qrow’s ass. “You planning something?”

“Maybe,” said James. He nipped gently at one of Qrow’s ass cheeks, gaze flicking upward to the way Qrow clenched the pillow between his fingers. “You mind?”

“ _Fuck_ , no,” breathed Qrow. James chuckled, soft and sweet, and spread Qrow’s cheeks, fingers tight against his ass. Qrow groaned as James leaned forward and blew gently at his hole. And then James was leaning in, licking his lips, and burying his face between Qrow’s ass cheeks.

His tongue swiped out and flicked along Qrow’s hole, and James closed his eyes to fully involve himself in what he was doing. He dove in, flattening his tongue before swirling around. Waited until he heard Qrow keen softly into the pillows before switching tactics. Plunging in and out with soft, sharp movements that had Qrow squirming and gasping beneath him.

He slipped his thumb into the dip between Qrow’s cheeks. Kept licking and nipping at Qrow’s hole as he let his thumb come in and trace the side. Qrow whined and bucked his hips into James. James chuckled, the vibrations making Qrow whine again, and drew back.

He clicked the cap on the lube, glancing up at Qrow, who hummed contently, eyes closed and face flushed. James slicked his fingers, slow and steady, and pressed them into Qrow, one at a time.

It was so much different from their first time on that roof. There was no rush this time. No anger or frustration behind their movements. Just a want to comfort each other, to be with each other, and to forget the world around them, if only for a little while.

When James pushed into Qrow, it wasn’t with any kind of force, but instead a gentle slide that had Qrow clenching the pillow and shivering beneath him. With a soft chuckle, he leaned over Qrow, one hand next to his, and smiled against the curve of his ear.

“Am I cold?” he asked.

Qrow chuckled, soft but strained. “Nah,” he said. “I’m fine. Go on.”

James first press was slow and shaky, his entire body shuddering from the all encompassing heat. He leaned completely over Qrow, his left hand entangling with Qrow’s fingers, and took a deep breath.

Their movements were slow and languid, the two of them rocking together in the gentle motions in the mostly silence of the room. James buried his face in the crook of Qrow’s neck. Qrow’s hips twitched into the sheets, trying to find purchase against their smooth surface. And bit by bit, moment by moment, the pleasure and heat built up between them, and when James’ cock began to _vibrate_ inside of Qrow, Qrow cried out. They lost themselves in the sensation, quiet noises passing between them.

When their orgasms hit, they came as silent and smooth as everything else, rolling over them and whiting out all other sensation until Qrow cursed and James bit down on Qrow’s shoulder.

They slipped from one another and snuggled close, disappearing into the blankets and passing out for a while. It had been too long since they’d both slept properly for a night.

* * *

 

When James awoke, it was to Qrow curled against his side, one hand splayed across his heart and his head on the metal half of his chest. And, just for a moment, he forgot everything that had happened the last few months. He forgot the pain and suffering, the fear and destruction, the deaths, the worries, the failures. All he knew was Qrow, this bed, and this thing they shared, whatever it was.

Of course, it had to come to an end.

There was a banging on the door, sharp and precise, and James sighed as Qrow stirred. He leaned over to the end table and tapped his Scroll, unlocking the door. Glynda stood in the doorway, out of uniform, with her hands on her hips and something unreadable in her eyes.

“The girls are waking up,” she said. Her gaze flicked to Qrow, who was lifting his head and squinting at Glynda, the blankets pooled around their middles. “You should get dressed and come speak with them.” A pause. “Preferably before Pyrrha accidentally rips apart the Beacon and sends all of us to a gruesome death.”

“We’ll be right out,” said James. Qrow nodded, still blinking sleepily. The door closed and James nudged Qrow off of him so that he could get up and find his clothes. No uniform, it wasn’t needed at the moment, and besides, he didn’t feel like trying to put it on.

“Are you coming?” asked James, once he was mostly dressed. He looked back at Qrow, who was sitting up in the bed, scratching idly at this chest.

“I’ll be there in a bit,” said Qrow. “Something tells me you need to talk to these kids and I don’t need to be there for Pyrrha right now.” He slid out of bed, landing easily, and James let his eyes linger on Qrow’s lean, graceful figure. “I’ll go find Ruby and Yang and Tai, make sure they’re okay.”

James nodded and leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to Qrow’s lips. Then, he left the room, unsure of what else to say. His worries about Pyrrha returned as he headed to the infirmary, and he pressed his lips together and tried to think of what he could say her. What could help her.

He hesitated, standing outside the infirmary for a moment. His right side was still sore from the day before. From Pyrrha and Cinder and all the magic they’d unleashed. And where had Cinder gotten the Horsemen powers? Nothing James knew about the Four said they were capable of such a thing. It had to have something to do with Salem. He was sure of it.

Not that there was anyone James could ask about such a thing now. Ozpin was dead. Penny wouldn’t know anything – nor did James want to ask her such a horrific thing, after all she’d been through – and Glynda, despite being closest to Ozpin, probably didn’t know either.

Taking a deep breath, James pushed open the door to the infirmary.

Pyrrha was inside, sitting up in the bed and propped against the pillows. The bandages on her hands were torn and pink, but the wounds beneath them looked minor at best. Last night, they’d been much worse. Last night, she’d almost died.

Last night, a lot of things had changed.

Pyrrha looked up as he closed the door and James sucked in a breath. The green of her eyes had been completely enveloped by bronze. There was nothing left of the emerald sparkle that had once shone with life and wonder. The bronze was cold and unforgiving, a burnished surface that gave away nothing but quiet fury and discontent.

God, what had they done to her, to turn her into this in only a season?

James kept his expression warm, giving away none of the fear and horror that lingered in his stomach. He settled on the end of the bed, watching as Pyrrha drew up her legs to her chest and hugged them close.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. He didn’t touch her. Didn’t move to.

Her bronze eyes stared at sheets, unblinking. “Reconsidering my stance.”

“On?” asked James. He tipped his head slightly and frowned. Didn’t try to catch her gaze, but followed the movements of her eyes nonetheless.

“Suicide.”

Now, James’ expression did falter. He sucked in a breath, eyes going wide and lips parting. Horror ripped up his spine and he choked back an entire slew of protests and fears that bubbled up as the word settled and burrowed beneath his skin.

Her unforgiving gaze looked up at him. The pull of her brow, the tremble of her lip, the twinge in her jaw, it all betrayed her fear, her pain. But the eyes gave away nothing. It was as though they weren’t capable of it.

“Pyrrha, I…” He trailed off, unsure of what to say. Two rooms over, Amber lay in a coma. In the room between Pyrrha and Amber was Blake, tied down and half transformed into a monster. Sedated until her heartbeat slowed almost dangerously. On the other side of Amber was Ruby and Yang, both of them still damaged.

All because he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time. All because he wasn’t good enough. All because of his mistakes.

What could he possibly say that wouldn’t end with Pyrrha in the same shape as Amber, or worse?

“Do you think she’s right?” asked Pyrrha. She had her chin on her knees now, staring blankly at the blankets covering her feet. The light caught her eyes, but even with the sparkle dancing across them, they were still cold and unfeeling apart from that tranquil fury.

They were nothing like Amber’s eyes, so warm and full of life. Or Ruby’s, which seemed to have the knowledge of the universe behind them. But perhaps that was part of the pain of being a Maiden. Each one of them had a different emotion behind them. It stood to reason that might affect the rest of them.

Or maybe that was wishful thinking on his part, instead of acknowledging the trauma and horrors that had inflicted Pyrrha since the day her parents had been murdered before her very eyes.

“Cinder?” guessed James. He knew he’d been silent too long. Pyrrha hadn’t seemed to notice. “No.”

“But…” Pyrrha shook her head. Her hair hung loose around her body, draping her in a red curtain that could have been blood, in a different light. She sighed, soft and forlorn. “She said Adam tricked me into killing him. If she was right…” James felt the way his right side grew heavier and grimaced, planting his right hand on the bed to hold himself up.

“She’s not,” he managed to get out between gritted teeth.

Pyrrha’s gaze flicked to him again, eyebrows shooting up and a gasp falling from her lips. “Am I…?” His right side returned to its normal weight. “How many times have I _done_ that to you?” The crack in her voice was more painful than any of the compressing metal could be.

“Pyrrha, it’s not a big deal,” he said.

“Not a big _deal_?” Pyrrha’s voice cracked again. Tears welled up in her eyes, making the bronze glimmer and shine, but it still gave away none of the horror written across her face. “How many times have I done that to you?” she repeated.

James faltered. He didn’t know. He didn’t know but it had been quite a few and she was probably already putting it together. “Pyrrha…”

“I could have killed you!” A sharp shout that wasn’t quite a scream. The lights overhead flickered. She froze. “I could kill everyone. We’re in a giant metal ball in space and if I get upset enough I could kill _everyone._ ” Her breathing came in sharp, short gasps. Her face flushed. Her lips trembled. Tears welled in her eyes and she buried her face in her knees. Choking sobs rolled across her body, shivering her entire frame until she shook hard enough that she moved the bed.

“I’m sorry,” said James, softly. He reached out and rested his hand on hers. “About everything. You…” He shook his head. “You don’t deserve this, Pyrrha, no one does.”

For a time, they sat there, alone and together all at once. Only Pyrrha’s sobs, slowly subsiding, made any noise. As they trailed off, Pyrrha lifted her head to look at James. Those unchanging bronze eyes stared at him with all the fury that burned beneath Pyrrha’s skin.

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“We stop Cinder,” said James. “We save the day. That’s what we do.”

And after?” asked Pyrrha. “Do you think, after, that I’ll ever be okay again?”

James sighed, soft, before pressing his lips together. He shook his head, frowning. “I don’t know,” he confessed. “I just don’t know.”

“Neither do I.”

* * *

 

When James left Pyrrha in the infirmary after she passed out again, he headed down the hall to Ruby and Yang. He didn’t know where Penny was. He needed to find her, but first, he had to make sure Ruby and Yang were all right.

Opening the door, he came face to face with Qrow, Taiyang, Yang, and Ruby. Ruby was sitting up in bed, her silver eyes impossibly old, and Taiyang sat at the foot of her bed, rubbing her legs under the covers. Qrow was sitting in a chair next to Yang, who was rubbing at her eyes with her remaining arm. Her right arm, cut off just above the elbow, was still bandaged.

“Hey,” said James, softly.

“Hey,” said Qrow.

Yang squinted at him, still rubbing at her eyes. “Mr. Ironwood?” The confusion in her voice was a marked improvement from the despair in Pyrrha’s.

“He’s General Steel,” said Ruby. Her gaze went from her dad to James and he felt pinned by it. Pinned by the knowledge and sadness that lingered there. “Just like Uncle Qrow is Nevermore, right?”

“Right,” said James.

“How did you know that?” asked Yang.

Ruby shrugged, confusion flickering across her face in pursed lips and furrowed brow. “I know a lot of things, but I don’t always know how I know them.” She cocked her head to one side and squinted at James. “This knowing, it’s magic, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” said James, nodding.

“Her mother’s,” said Taiyang, still rubbing her legs. “She had the same eyes, the same powers.” He looked at James, and James saw the pain in those eyes. Half masked by concern and fear. He rubbed at his sleeve and James glanced away. “She was magic too, then.”

James nodded. “Yeah.”

“How much do you know? About all this?” asked Taiyang. He got to his feet. Qrow got up as well, locking gazes with James temporarily. “Was it that woman Qrow mentioned? Cinder? Is she responsible for this?”

“Tai Tai-” started Qrow.

“Don’t,” snapped Taiyang over his shoulder. He looked back at James. “Who is Cinder? What does she want? _Why is my daughter magic?”_

“Tai.” Qrow’s voice was sharp. He stepped around the bed to stand beside James. “You are not getting into this fight. You can’t handle it. Your powers are _gone._ You can’t do this.”

“Like hell I can’t,” said Taiyang, his voice dropping to a growl. He stepped toward Qrow and James looked between the two, unsure of what to say. Qrow ground his teeth together, eyes narrowed. “What makes you think you can keep me out? What makes you think that I don’t have a right to keep my children safe?”

“Raven’s alive, Tai,” shouted Qrow, getting right up in Tai’s face. His shoulders trembled. “Raven’s alive and she’s working with Cinder. You don’t need to see that.”

Tai faltered. His olive complexion went as pale as it could. His mouth dropped open, his lower lip trembled. His eyes went wide and the shine to them wasn’t from the light. “What?” His voice cracked as he spoke.

“Raven’s alive. She’s gone over. We don’t know why, or how, or even when.” Qrow shook his head and tugged his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know, Tai. I don’t fucking know.”

“Mom’s alive?” All three men froze. Right. Ruby and Yang were in the room.

_Shit._

The words had come from Yang, who was hugging her stump with her left hand. She and Ruby both stared at the three men in the room. Ruby looked like she was about to cry, while Yang looked completely horrified. She seemed torn between screaming, protesting, or running from the room.

“Yang,” started Qrow.

“Why is she working for the bad guys?” asked Yang, her voice raising as she spoke. She waved her arm and her stump. Swore and grabbed at it again, face scrunching in pain. “What is going _on?_ ”

“I don’t know,” said Qrow. He tugged his fingers through his hair again. “I just don’t know, kid. Raven is supposed to be dead. That’s what kick-started this whole mess, ten years ago.” Qrow’s gaze flicked to James and James grimaced. Ten years ago. Even if Qrow had forgiven him, he hadn’t forgotten who was at fault. Hadn’t forgotten James’ confession about Akiko.

“I’m fighting her,” said Taiyang. “Cinder, Raven, I don’t care. I’m fighting her.”

“You have no powers,” said Qrow. “They’ll destroy you.”

“He’s right, even Blunderbuss and Puma don’t go out alone. There’s a reason we keep them with our heavy hitters,” said James. “You need to think about what you’re doing, Taiyang. You have daughters.” He looked at Ruby and Yang, who were staring at everything unfold.

“Dad,” said Yang, but she faltered and went silent, eyes shining.

“Dad,” said Ruby. Her own gaze was sharp, but filled with pain nonetheless. Her voice quivered but held. “Please. What’s going on?”

“We need to talk about this privately,” said Taiyang. He glanced back at the girls. “We’ll fix this, I promise. I’ll be right back.” He grabbed Qrow by the collar and yanked him out of the room. James followed and shut the door behind them right as Taiyang tossed Qrow into a wall.

“Taiyang!” James went to put himself between them, only to see Qrow snarl and shove hard at Taiyang. Taiyang didn’t move much.

“What do you want me to say?” snapped Qrow. “Raven’s alive. You can’t fight. We need you to keep the girls safe while we fight.”

Taiyang growled. “You’re not getting me out of this fight.”

“You don’t have powers!”

“I can get them,” said Taiyang, tightly. “You and I both know it’s trauma. I know _exactly_ what would give them back to me.” In that instant, all James could see was Blake. Blake, shot full of Dust and cry-screaming over Adam. Blake, with her purple veins and bloodshot eyes, with her shaking hands and loss of humanity.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” shouted Qrow.

“It would work,” protested Tai.

Qrow shoved hard and made Taiyang stumble. “You do this, you will die,” he said, stabbing a finger at Taiyang. “You are not making these girls orphans you selfish bastard!”

“It would work,” said Taiyang again. “And you need all the manpower you can get.” He looked to James, then to Qrow again. “It would work. You and I know it would.”

“No,” said Qrow. “The amount of Dust you’d have to pump yourself full of to outdo the trauma of _both of your wives dying_ … you can’t do it. You can’t do that without destroying your body.”

“Well apparently only one of them died,” snapped Taiyang. Qrow flinched backward, looking away and toward the floor. “Besides, if I get the same power back, it can’t kill me. Remember? I’m the fucking Clockwork Heart. I’m _invincible._ ” Taiyang stepped back and growled low in his throat. “Besides, you can’t stop me. You never could.”

James stepped forward, putting himself in Taiyang’s line of sight. “No, but I can.” He folded his arms tight across his chest and glared down the three-inch height difference. “I know where the Dust up here is, I know what all the passwords are, and I can be sure that everyone on the Beacon knows not to give it to you.” He stepped forward, hardening his gaze.

“Stand down, Taiyang,” said James. “You won’t win this.”

Taiyang growled, his eyes dark and narrow.

The click-clack of Glynda’s heels broke their glaring contest. James looked over to see Glynda with her lips pressed tightly together.

“What’s going on?” asked James.

“You need to see this,” said Glynda. She turned on heel and walked off. James headed after her, hearing Qrow and Taiyang following close behind.

* * *

 

James, Qrow, and Taiyang followed Glynda to the main room again, but not before Qrow stuck his head into the infirmary and grabbed Ruby and Yang. They hobbled, hanging onto Qrow and Taiyang, and sat down in the chairs around the table.

All around the room, screens showed a dozen different news channels, floating in midair. But, despite being twelve different stations, each one showed the exact same thing: Cinder Fall.

“Good evening, Atlas,” said Cinder. “You don’t know who I am, but I know exactly who all of you are.” She held her hands together in front of her, a soft, sinister smile on her face. Something hungry curled close to her expression, lingering in her eyes and tilting her smile. It struck fear into James, but he shoved it back.

“You see, I’m the one who unleashed those lovely monsters onto your homes, your children, your families.” Cinder tilted her head the other way, raising one slim eyebrow. “I imagine, even now, that they are creeping into your streets, clawing at your windows, lurking and searching for your children.” She shook her head, sighing softly as she checked her nails. “I can get rid of them, just as I brought them to you.”

She sighed again, put upon and incredibly overdramatic as she glanced back at the cameras. “Your heroes have abandoned you, but I know they’re watching this.” She straightened up, all the hunger returning to her eyes as a slow smirk spread across her face. “General Steel, Nevermore, your god has fallen, your champion destroyed.” She chuckled, low and throaty. “Give me the girls, your Maidens, and I will take back my Grimm and return your city. If you don’t…” She shrugged with her hands. “Well, you’ve seen what I’m capable of.”

Cinder licked her lower lip, slow and sure. “You have until midnight. Clock’s ticking, little heroes. Ask yourself, what are you going to do?”

The screens all went dark in unison, leaving the meeting room on the Beacon temporarily silent. It was Ruby that spoke first.

“What happens if we go to Cinder?” she asked.

“Nothing,” said Qrow, sharply. He turned and faced Ruby. “Because we’re not letting you.”

“But it would fix everything!” protested Ruby. Her lip trembled. Her eyes watered. She stared up at Qrow with eyes so sad that James lost his voice temporarily.

He found it again and put a hand on Qrow’s shoulder. “Ruby, Cinder is a very bad person. She won’t keep her promise even if we did think it was a good idea. We’re not going to put the two of you in harm’s way for any reason.”

“But if it could help,” said Ruby.

“It won’t.” Pyrrha’s words were sharp and low from where she stood in the doorway. She was wearing a nightgown, the blanket from her bed over her shoulders. “Cinder Fall is a monster, just like those things we fought down on Earth. She will not stop until she gets what she wants, and she won’t leave the world alone no matter what we do,” said Pyrrha. James couldn’t help but be drawn to her eyes as she spoke. To the fury that shifted from distant to present, from dull to vibrant. Sorrow poured from Ruby, anger poured from Pyrrha, and in the room, the two clashed, leaving James to press a hand to his head and grimace at the clutter of opposing emotions in his mind.

“Pyrrha,” said James, softly. “Negativity won’t get us anywhere today, we need to make a plan, and soon.”

“Kill her,” said Pyrrha, the bluntness in her tone making several people start. Not James. He knew enough of her current mindset, though albeit, still very little, to see where she was coming from. “If you kill her, she can’t hurt anyone, right?”

“Easier said than done. She’s one of the most powerful people on the planet right now,” said Qrow.

Pyrrha gave him a flat look. “Considering I’ve fought her? I think I know that.” The sharpness in her voice was almost physical, a piercing thing that had Ruby backing up from her.

“Hey, why don’t you lay off?” snapped Yang, stepping in front of Ruby. “We’re doing the best we can.”

“Well it’s not good enough,” said Pyrrha. She stepped forward, fists clenched at her sides and eyes burning with a fury that had James worried she’d tear the room apart.

“Pyrrha, take a deep breath,” said James, holding out his left hand toward her. “We can fix this. We’ll win.”

“How do you know that?” snapped Pyrrha. The metal table creaked.

“Stop!” shouted Ruby. She had her hands on the sides of her head. “Stop. I can’t think. Your powers…” She took a knee, whimpering.

Taiyang darted toward her and held out a hand toward her. James saw the shift as it happened. Taiyang went still, then so did Qrow, then so did everyone else in the room. A glass that Pyrrha had knocked over froze in mid-air, the water holding still as well. Then everything went cold, frost tearing across the windows and up toward the ceiling.

And yet James could still move.

He crossed the room, careful not to jostle any of the frozen people in the room, and rested his hands on Ruby’s shoulders, crouching down in front of her.

“Ruby?” he asked. The little girl – god, she was Penny’s age, wasn’t she? – looked up at him. She sniffled, her silver eyes sparkling. “Talk to me.”

“Everything’s being destroyed,” whispered Ruby. “The whole world is falling apart and we’re all arguing and I’m _magic_ and I can’t _help._ ” Her voice cracked at the end. Her lips trembled and a broken sob slipped from her throat.

“We’ll solve this, I promise,” said James. He brushed a few tears from Ruby’s face, quietly marvelling at how they turned to ice as they slipped from her cheeks onto his hands. He could feel his body growing colder, but it didn’t slow, just shivered slightly.

Ruby stared up at him. “Yeah?” she asked. She sounded doubtful, but hopeful all the same.

“Yeah,” said James, mimicking her soft tone. “There isn’t a threat the Guild hasn’t been able to fix yet, Ruby. I’m sure we can find a way to stop Cinder.”

Ruby nodded, blinking hard as more tears slipped down her cheeks. She swiped a hand across her eyes and sniffled. “Okay,” she mumbled.

“Can you unfreeze everyone now?” asked James. Ruby nodded and closed her eyes. After a moment, people began to move again. Taiyang stumbled when he saw James crouched in front of Ruby. Yang and Pyrrha’s argument broke off when they realized what had happened. The water glass hit the floor and shattered, water spilling everywhere. The frost on the windows remained.

“What just happened?” asked Yang.

“The power of Winter.” James stood and turned. Penny stood in the doorway, her arms folded loosely across her chest and her green eyes glowing faintly. Her outfit had changed since the last time James saw her. Now she wore black pants and a black hoodie, similar to her Haywire costume. But, more than that, the style reminded James of the Wizard, of Ozpin, and their usual attire.

“Penny, it’s good to see you up,” said James. He glanced back to the screens, still blank, and watched as they disappeared, one at a time. “Did you have any thoughts on all this?”

Penny tilted her head to one side. Her freckles were green as well, James noticed, and the circuit board lines across her face zig-zagged in vibrant green on her fair complexion. She frowned, the gesture strange on her, and shook her head.

“Nothing helpful,” she said, after a moment. “But arguing won’t help us, either.”

“If everyone would listen to reason,” started Pyrrha.

“Maybe if you weren’t trying to _kill_ someone,” said Yang, baring her teeth.

“If it’s the only option,” said Pyrrha.

Taiyang was sliding toward the door.

“You stay the hell away from the Dust,” snapped Qrow.

“You need help,” Taiyang shot back. The two growled at each other.

Penny glow danced across her face. “Enough.” Her voice was harsh and firm, leaving no room for argument. “My father is dead. Nothing any of you say or do is going to change that.” James looked away. The shame in the room was almost physical, a guilty thing that clung to each of them. “But I have most of their magic.” Some of Penny’s usual tone returned to her voice. “Cinder has the rest, which makes her even more powerful than before, and with the Grimm…” Penny shook her head.

“We need to keep the people of Atlas safe,” said James. “That’s our first priority. If we save the city, we need to have people to return to it.”

“What about the dome the Wizard created?” asked Glynda. She turned to Penny, frowning slightly. “If you could create a larger one, and everyone was inside their homes, could that not work?”

James shook his head. “It wouldn’t help anyone in their homes inside the dome, nor would it help us battle those monsters… those _Grimm_ , outside of it,” he said.

“What about an Anomaly?” asked Qrow. “Creamsicle, the kid I asked about at that club, she’s got a power that might work here.”

“There’s no cure for the sickness yet. Or at least, nothing definitive,” said James. He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. “She won’t even be awake. Besides, no Anomaly is that powerful. There’s hundreds, if not thousands of Grimm, depending on how many members of the White Fang there truly were.” He grimaced. “That’s not counting anyone else that Cinder may have gotten hold of.”

“If she was awake, I could help that part,” said Penny.

James turned to look back at Penny, who was hugging herself now. “What do you mean?”

“Magic can enhance Anomalies,” said Penny. “Power means nothing if you have the ability to increase it at will. Or at least, that’s why my Father always said.” She bit her lip. Half of her body language was Ozpin’s, smooth and practiced, while the other half remained her own. Skittish and terrified of what came next. The contrast had James frowning. Absorbing Ozpin’s magic may have kept it out of Cinder’s hands, but it was playing havoc on Penny’s mind.

“What about other magic?” asked Ruby. James glanced over his shoulder to see Ruby hugging herself. Taiyang had an arm draped across her shoulders and a look in his eye that betrayed his fear. “Can you enhance that?”

Penny nodded. “A Maiden’s magic? Yes, I can do that.”

“Then enhance me,” said Ruby, stepping forward. “I keep freezing things, right? What if we froze the whole city?”

“If everyone was inside, it would keep them safe,” said James.

“I wouldn’t count on it affecting the Grimm,” said Glynda.

“No,” said James. “But it would keep any more from forming. No way to change if time is stopped for the person in the mask.” He stepped up to the table and tapped it, revealing a map of the city. “If we froze the city, we could split up and drive the Grimm to the stadium.” He pointed to the stadium near the centre of the city. “There, we could fight without worrying about what could happen to the city. Everyone would be inside and safe, away from the battle.”

Glynda was nodding now as well, stepping up to the other side of the table. “It could work. Though, I have to worry about the Freeze.” She pointed to where the Freeze had spread, almost a half mile out from Patch itself. “If we don’t stop it, freezing the city may merge the Freeze with Ruby’s new time stop, ultimately destroying our Anomalies and freezing us in our tracks.” Glynda looked up at James, frowning tightly. “We’d lose.”

“We have to undo the Freeze in order for this to work,” said James. He looked up at the digital clocks that lined the top of one wall. In Atlas, it was currently four in the afternoon, but the rain had yet to let up, and, judging by the screens, Atlas was still shrouded in darkness. “Could we send an emergency signal to the city to ensure everyone is inside?”

Taiyang stepped up next to James, Ruby at his side. “Power’s out across the city,” said Taiyang. “We don’t have a good way to do it.”

“Cinder had to turn the power on to get out her message,” said Qrow. “There’s gotta be a way to do it.”

“Agreed,” said James. He rubbed his chin with one hand and frowned, eyes narrowed. “All right, I think I know what to do. Ruby,” he turned his attention to her, “do you think you can undo the Freeze now that you know about your powers?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay,” said James. He looked over the Guild, everyone now gathered around the table. “Qrow, Glynda, and Winter, you three get down to Earth and get that signal turned on so we can send out a message – Glynda, you’ll be sending it. People know your face, they’ll trust you.” The three nodded, though Glynda seemed a touch more hesitant. “Bart, Peter, Penny, you three will try and wake up Amber and Blake safely. We could use them in this fight. Don’t do anything to hurt them.”

“We’ll do our best,” said Bart, laying a hand on Penny’s shoulder. She smiled hesitantly up at him.

James turned his attention to the rest. “Puma, Yang, you’ll be up here as well, help out where you can. Taiyang, you’re coming with me and Ruby. Pyrrha, stay up here, I want you to get ready for this fight.” He paused, then took a deep breath. “Don’t do anything rash. We will win this. Once the Freeze is gone, we can suit up and head out into this fight. Everyone got it?” More nods.

“All right then,” said James. “Move out.”

* * *

 

An hour later, James, Taiyang, and Ruby stood atop a building, two blocks out from the Freeze. It was dark, though the rain had finally stopped. Despite it being winter, there was little snow in Atlas, most of it having melted during the unseasonal weather. James wondered if that wasn’t by design – if that storm wasn’t something else Salem and Cinder had whipped up.

The Freeze shimmered before them, spreading much more rapidly than it had before. In a few hours, it would reach their current location. A day after that, it would reach the hospital full of sick women. James feared what would happen to them if it spread that far.

“What do I do?” asked Ruby. She hugged herself against the winter cold. They were all bundled up for the weather, but the cold seemed to cling to Ruby like a second skin. Her lips were turning blue, but she wasn’t shivering. James wondered if she felt the cold the way they did. After all, it was her patron season, these days.

“Start with how you usually freeze and unfreeze time,” said James, laying a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll go from there.”

Ruby nodded and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. James watched as frost spread out from her feet and darted down the side of the building, spider-webbing outward as it hit the streets and heading for the Freeze. The shimmering gloss of the Freeze seemed to shrink back from Ruby’s frost, but as the frost approached the Freeze, it slowed. Right before they touched, the frost shot upward into the air, forming spindly icy towers that rocketed six or seven stories into the air.

Ruby slumped to the ground, head in her hands. Taiyang crouched down next to her, one hand on her shoulder, and frowned.

“Are you all right?” asked Taiyang.

Ruby opened her eyes, which were as frosty as the roof beneath her, and managed a shaky nod. “Yeah,” she said. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t think that worked.”

“No,” said James. “But it’s a start.” He looked over the city, at the place he’d called home for so many years. It was bathed in darkness. The power out, generators hidden away from windows to ensure the Grimm didn’t find those inside. He didn’t think a single person was outside at the moment. If they were, they wouldn’t be for long. It was too dangerous.

James tried not to think of this as a failure. They hadn’t failed yet, he told himself, and they only would if they gave up. There was still time. Still hope. They had just to think of something.

“How did it happen, the first time?” asked James, directing his question to Taiyang.

Taiyang frowned. “Did Qrow not tell you?”

His sister died. The old Winter had destroyed Patch in her grief. James was only glad that Patch had been uninhabited at the time. “He did,” said James. “But we must be missing something.”

“I’d rather not relive it, if it’s all the same to you,” said Taiyang. He stood, and Ruby stood with him. Taiyang folded his arms across his chest and looked down and away. “It _was_ the day I lost my Anomaly, after all.”

James sighed. “That’s fair,” he said. It would give them insight, but if Taiyang couldn’t handle it, then James would respect that. He knew what it was like, being forced to relive your greatest trauma over and over again.

“Wait,” said Ruby. Her gaze went from one man to the other. “Anomalies come from trauma, don’t they?”

“Yes,” said James.

Ruby pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. “Could that be the problem? I’ve never really seen something really scary, except for what happened to Yang.” Ruby rubbed her arms. “Maybe that’s why my magic isn’t strong enough.” She stared at the Freeze and James stared at it as well. At the way it slowly crept over the ice pillars Ruby had left. “Maybe I’m not strong enough.”

“That’s not true,” said Taiyang. “You’re one of the strongest people I know, Ruby. You’ve helped me, your Uncle Qrow, and Yang through so much, and you’re still so young.” He sighed. “Maybe the Freeze just can’t be stopped.”

“Or maybe I have to get closer,” said Ruby. She stepped toward the edge of the roof and hesitated. Then, before James or Taiyang could react, she leaped off the roof and soared toward the ground.

“No!” called Taiyang. James was already bolting back toward the fire escape to run down and meet Ruby. He figured she’d slow her descent with her magic, but he and Taiyang didn’t have the same ability. So he pounded down the thin metal stairs until he was at street level, and ran back around to the side of the building where Ruby was.

James and Taiyang both ran toward Ruby, who stood only a few feet in front of the Freeze now. They watched as she reached out with one hand and touched the Freeze.

Frost erupted across the edge, coating buildings, cars, and the ground itself. It rolled up the sides of the buildings and froze puddles in its tracks. And, just in front of Ruby, a figure cloaked in white appeared, seemingly made from frost itself.

“Summer,” breathed Taiyang. He stumbled toward her. James followed.

The figure reached out and stroked Ruby’s face. “My precious daughter,” whispered the figure. “How you’ve made me proud.”

“Mom,” croaked Ruby, tears in her eyes visible even from where James stood. “Will this fix everything?”

“Yes,” said the figure. She bent forward and kissed Ruby’s forehead. Ruby’s tears fell from her eyes, their glittering tracks sparkling despite the shadows. The figure’s gaze went to Taiyang. “I loved you both, Tai. But you know I’m gone.”

“I do,” said Taiyang.

“Raven might still be saved, before her time comes,” said the figure. She reached out and drew Taiyang into a hug. “Stay safe. I love you.”

“I love you too,” whispered Taiyang. And then she was gone, vanishing in a cloud of frost. And, as she vanished, Ruby’s first tears hit the ground, and the Freeze erupted into a fog that billowed high into the sky. It hung above them, for just a moment, and then it was gone. The Freeze was gone. The city unfrozen. And Ruby’s tears formed tiny ice pillars amongst the larger ones that marked where the coating of frost bisected the block.

Taiyang scooped Ruby into his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Let’s get back to the Beacon,” said James, keeping his voice soft. Taiyang and Ruby nodded, and the three headed out.

* * *

 

James, Taiyang, and Ruby arrived on the Beacon sometime after seven. They’d been distracted by getting around Grimm that had swarmed the area after the Freeze went down. Pyrrha, Penny, and Port were sitting together in the meeting room, and Blake was sitting with them, a blanket her shoulders and a mug of cocoa in her hands. She was trembling, but she seemed mostly in one piece, although her eyes were red instead of their usual gold.

Bart stood next to her, taking a myriad of tests that he only paused when James and the others arrived.

“Good to see you up, Blake,” said James, softly. “How are you feeling?”

She shrugged, the gesture sharp and jerky, but there all the same. She didn’t speak. Judging by the look Bart sent him, James wasn’t sure if she could.

“Where are the others?” asked James. As if on cue, Glynda, Winter, and Qrow came through one door, and Yang and Tukson came through the other.

“Message sent out just fine,” said Qrow. He jerked his head toward Glynda. “Queenie is more charismatic than she looks. All of Atlas’ll be convinced to go inside after that.”

James nodded. “Good, good. We didn’t see many people out when we were down in the city.” He glanced at the holographic, three-dimensional map of the city that was laid out on the table. “The Freeze is gone, Ruby performed beautifully.”

“Good,” said Qrow.

“I saw Mom,” said Ruby, quietly to Yang. It was just loud enough for James to hear. “She said she’s proud of us and that she loved us.”

Yang nodded and slung her good arm around Ruby’s shoulders, kissing the side of her head. “She was a great mom,” said Yang. “I’m glad that you got to see her now that you can remember her.”

“Me too,” said Ruby, tugging Yang into a tight hug.

“You saw her?” asked Qrow, raising an eyebrow at Taiyang.

Tai nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I got to say goodbye.”

Qrow laid a hand on Taiyang’s shoulder. “Let’s hope that’s the last goodbye we have to say tonight.”

“Agreed,” said James. He gestured for them to come look at the map. “We have about four and a half hours before Cinder’s deadline. That gives us time to prepare. We’ll need weapons, lights, anything we can get our hands on. We also need to make sure Penny’s magic will work with Ruby’s.”

“So we’re not making our move until midnight?” asked Qrow.

James shook his head. “No,” he said. “Cinder won’t expect us to do anything until midnight, and as much as I’d love to get the drop on her, we need the prep time.” He glanced up at Glynda. “I don’t suppose you know any other Anomalies we can bring into this fight? Trained ones, of course.”

With a sigh, Glynda shook her head. “No, none close enough to get in time, anyway.” She glanced at Taiyang, who had an arm around each of his girls. “Although…”

“It would work,” said Taiyang. “Enough Dust would trigger my Anomaly again.”

“Or it would kill you,” snapped Qrow. “You’re not doing it.”

“If I get my Anomaly _back_ , then nothing can kill me,” said Taiyang. He stepped forward and jabbed a finger at Qrow. “You need my powers for this.”

“There’s no guarantee you’ll get the same one, or even if you’ll get one at all,” said Qrow, shoving back. Taiyang growled.

“What about me?” asked Blake. “I could fight.”

James pressed his lips together. “With respect, Blake, we don’t know what’s going on with you right now. We shouldn’t risk it.”

“I saw the creatures out there, the… the Grimm,” she said. She was still trembling so badly that James wasn’t sure how she was speaking clearly. “I can feel one of those inside me, but it’s like…” She flexed her hands and stared down at them. “It’s like I can control it.”

James nodded, but before he could say anything, Taiyang and Qrow’s argument grew loud enough to be heard by all again.

“You’re not doing this,” snapped Qrow.

“You are not sending my daughter into a fight where I can’t follow!” shouted Taiyang. He shoved hard enough that Qrow stumbled into the table and grabbed it for support. “She’s twelve years old, Qrow. I am not letting her out of my sight.”

“Will it really kill you?” asked Ruby. Her voice was tiny in the room full of people, but it made everyone go silent regardless. She stepped forward and laid a hand on the crook of Taiyang’s elbow. “Daddy?”

“I… I don’t know,” said Taiyang, softly. His voice was rough and he wouldn’t look at either of his daughters. He clenched his hands into tight fists. “It might, but I don’t think it will. And I can’t let you go into a fight without someone to keep an eye on you.” He turned and crouched down in front of Ruby, his hands on her shoulders. “I won’t ask you to stay out of this fight if you don’t want to, but don’t ask me to stay behind.”

Ruby reached out and rested a hand on Taiyang’s shoulders. “Okay,” she said. “If you think it’ll work, then try your best.” She swallowed hard. “I’m going to fight and you should too. We all should.”

“Yeah,” said Yang, putting a hand on Taiyang’s, atop Ruby’s shoulder. “The Rose-Xiao Long-Branwen family is gonna kick some butt!”

Taiyang stared at the girls with trembling eyes, then yanked them both into a tight hug, a soft noise that wasn’t quite a sob slipping from his throat. “God, what did I do to deserve you two?”

“I mean,” said Yang, pulling back from the hug. “If you wanna get _technical_ …”

Taiyang snorted. “No,” he said. “I’d rather not.” He looked from Qrow, to James, then took a deep breath. “Get the Dust.”

“Get enough for two,” said Blake. “If I’m going in, I’m going in hot.”

“Blake…” James trailed off, unsure of how to protest that without driving her further into want or despair.

“I know,” said Blake. She grimaced, clenching her shaking hands. “Look, I know that it’s dangerous, but at least it’ll get rid of this shaking and give me some control left.”

Qrow cocked an eyebrow. “Now there’s the voice of an addict.”

Blake shot him a look and let out a low growl that was _definitely_ not human. Several of the Guild members scooted away from her. “And what do _you_ know about addiction?” she snapped.

“Enough,” said Qrow, cocking one eyebrow. He folded his arms and looked at James. “Well, you’re in charge, isn’t it your call?”

“Get the Dust,” said James to Bart. “Be quick about it. We’re running out of time.”

Bart nodded and vanished without a sound. James turned his attention back to the various teenagers in the room, who had all clustered together near Blake.

“I’m not going to ask any one of you to fight,” said James. When Penny and Pyrrha opened their mouths to protest, James lifted his hand to stop them. “I’m not finished. I’m not going to ask you to fight. This is a choice you need to make yourselves. Your Anomalies, and magic, would be an incredible asset on the battlefield, but we will make do without if need be.” He shook his head. “I have no feelings one way or the other if you decide to fight. This is your choice. This is your city. This is your life. So, what will it be?”

“I’m fighting,” said Pyrrha. “When Cinder dies, I will be there to see it in person.”

Penny nodded. “I have my father’s magic; I need to be in this fight.”

“I’ll come too,” said Ruby. She put a hand on Penny’s shoulders. “I’m a Maiden too, right? I should be there. I need to freeze the city anyway.”

“I won’t be much help,” said Yang. “But I’m coming too.”

James looked at Blake and raised an eyebrow. “Blake?”

She smirked. “You couldn’t keep me out of it if you tried. This woman turned me and my friends into monsters. We’re killing her.”

James nodded and looked to the rest of the Guild, and to Qrow and Taiyang. “All right,” he said. “Let’s hatch a plan.”

For the next few hours, the Guild, plus their newest honorary additions, worked out a plan to take the city back. They’d split up, keeping in contact with the coms that connected to their Scrolls. Use flashbangs to draw the Grimm in and drive them to the stadium after Penny and Ruby froze the city. From there, they’d fight in the stadium, hopefully drawing out Cinder as well.

James had two aces up his sleeve. The first was the glyphs that Ozpin had given James. Symbols that would allow James to shut down the magic in the area. With any luck, they’d be able to keep Salem from ever being summoned. Their second ace was a weapon he’d built, one he’d thought of speaking with Qrow, once, and Pyrrha as well. A gun that would absorb a Maiden’s powers, provided they could separate them from the host. Otherwise, it would run the risk of killing Cinder, which no one would mind, and exploding, which most would mind.

When that was done, they had time to gather new weapons, Dust, and set up for battle. Which was also when Bart handed the vials to Taiyang and Blake. Blake went first. She injected the purple dust slowly, taking a shaky breath as she did. Her eyes flickered and her hands steadied. By the time she was done, her eyes were gold again, with a faint purple glow around the edges.

She nodded to James, looking, unfortunately, more like herself than she had in weeks. James swallowed hard. Someday, they’d get her clean, but tonight, she needed to be able to fight. Even if the idea made his stomach churn.

“Tai, your turn,” said Qrow.

Taiyang nodded. He took a deep breath and the red dust flowed into his veins, igniting them beneath his skin. It flowed up into his eyes, dyeing them red, before they faded back to blue. Then, just as he pulled the needle from his skin, little flecks of gold started working their way across Taiyang’s arm.

They erupted into lines, then shapes, then into a brilliant golden, scaled, Chinese dragon. It wrapped its way across his arm and disappeared into his shirt. The lights of the golden lines glowed through his shirt, showing the rest of the dragon as it danced down his shoulder blades, across his back, and curled itself around his hip.

“Dust tattoos,” said Qrow. “I didn’t know you still had them.”

Taiyang stared at his hand. At the spot just above his wrist where the head of the dragon began. “Neither did I,” he said, softly. He looked from Qrow, to James, to the girls. “So, are we ready?”

“Let’s go to work,” said James.

Above them, on the Atlas time zone clock, the clock ticked toward midnight, one second at a time.

* * *

 

It took thirty minutes to get everyone in place in Atlas. James, Qrow, and Pyrrha stood together on one of the main streets, watching for Grimm as they shifted into position. James flexed the gauntlets he wore across his knuckles. He didn’t have his Taser. There was no point. The gun rested on his hip, ready for use.

Elsewhere in the city, Snow Pea, Puma, and White Queen stood together, waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Just as Taiyang, Hummingbird, and Blunderbuss stood elsewhere. Yang stood with Taiyang, while Ruby and Penny stood atop the clock tower in the centre of the city, not far from where the three groups were spread out, waiting for the moment to strike.

“Okay team,” said James over the coms. “This is it. The final battle. We have our plan; we have our weapons. We _can_ do this. Tonight, Cinder will fall, the witch will burn, and the Grimm will be taken out by any means necessary. We are Atlas’ last hope, and we will prevail.”

“Jimbo’s right,” said Qrow. “Tonight isn’t about solo work, it’s about teams. It’s only as a team that we can beat her, and with a team like ours? We’re already leagues ahead of Cinder and her little monsters.”

James looked over to Qrow and raised an eyebrow. The red lenses of his Nevermore costume glowed faintly. “Since when are you all about teamwork?” he asked.

“What can I say,” said Qrow, shrugging, “I’ve changed my mind.” James only smiled.

He glanced up at the clock tower to see the final seconds tick down.

“Everyone ready?” asked James. Various affirmations came over the coms. “All right. Ruby? You’re up.”

“Okay,” came Ruby’s voice. There was a brief pause, and then the clock tower was striking midnight. Great, echoing chimes ripped across the city, one after the other, and as they rang out, a silvery shimmer emerged from the top of the clock tower and spread like a blanket over the city. As it passed over James, he could see the way movement in windows paused, see the way puddles froze solid. Frost covered the entire city, the slick wet streets froze to thin layers of ice, and the clouds above them seemed to darken.

And nothing, not for miles, made a sound or movement.

It had worked. The city was frozen in every way it could be, and the people of Atlas were safe inside their homes.

“Good work, Ruby,” said James. He looked out over the dark city. “Haywire? Light ‘em up.”

“Roger!” chirruped Penny. There was a second glow from the clock tower, this one green, and then lights from the city were turning back on. Great strips of light made of street lamps across the three streets the Guild had split up on. Those street lamp strips led all the way to the football stadium, where the final battle would take place.

“Good work, Penny,” said James. “Stay safe and meet up when you can.” He turned his attention back toward the rest of the Guild. “Let’s go.”

In unison, Pyrrha, Qrow, and James drew their flash bangs, just as James was sure the rest of the Guild was doing. Together, they tossed them down the streets, shielding their eyes and ears as they exploded into sound and light all around them. James lowered his hands from his ears and opened his eyes as the sounds stopped. He looked around and squinted into the streets.

For a moment, there was nothing. Nothing but silence and frost, street lights and soft breathing. Then, a growl, a snarl, the pounding of feet, and the Grimm burst into the light-edged streets surrounding James, Qrow, and Pyrrha.

“Drive them to the stadium!” called James as he brought up one metal coated arm to block the first lunging Grimm. He shoved it back and booted it in the chest, tossing it into another. These ones were wolves, or at least, larger versions of them, and James could see a few that reminded him of crocodiles slithering out from the shadows.

James kept his eyes on the Grimm wolves. He beat them back with his new gauntlets. Left, then right, then left again. Twisted around, ducked under a lunge, caught the Grimm in the jaw. He leaped, tore the head clean off one of the Grimm. The body dissolved into smoke and James stumbled as the weight changed.

Nearby, he saw Pyrrha whipping her shields around the two crocodile Grimm. She sliced the head off one, leaped onto the back of the other, and tore off its legs. He grimaced. That was a tad brutal, but it worked.

They needed to move forward.

A shriek from the skies had James’ gaze going upward. Great black birds, almost like giant ravens, flew overhead.

“Birds?” Qrow’s voice was as incredulous as it was annoyed. “Fucking _birds?_ Come on!” He gave a put upon sigh, leaped up onto a fire escape, and then out into open air to grab onto one of the birds. “Let’s get moving, people!”

“Pyrrha, forward!” called James. He booted another Grimm in the chest and sprinted up the street, grabbing Pyrrha to keep her level with him. Qrow followed from above, the great shrieks of the bird Grimm above him indicating that he was forcing it forward.

At the next crosswalk, more Grimm appeared, and James swung around to throw one into another headed for Pyrrha. These were mostly wolves, though James could see a few bears in the distance, and even a giraffe, several blocks over.

Another shriek in the air. The bird went down. Qrow leaped over in midair, touched down, and they kept running. Their feet pounded the ground. There was no time to stop. If they stopped, the Grimm would overwhelm them and they’d end up cornered.

“Pyrrha, shields!” called James as they ran. One of the giraffe Grimm came around a corner and Pyrrha shot her shields forward. They sliced clean through the giraffe’s neck and sent it falling to the pavement. It vanished just before it fell.

Why were they disappearing so quickly now? How were there so many? Unless…

James felt himself pale as he ran. What if they were just reforming elsewhere? That could be why they weren’t making any headway.

_Shit._

“Keep going!” said James. He grimaced and tapped at his com link. “Status report.”

“Why are there _birds?_ Come back here you fucks!” was Glynda’s only response. “I swear I’m going to – augh!”

“We’re good,” came Taiyang’s voice.

“Ruby and I are just waiting for everyone to get here,” said Penny. “Then we’ll be ready to fight with you.”

“Roger that, Penny,” said James. He kept running. They ducked and weaved around the Grimm as they moved, trying not to get bogged down. More and more Grimm swarmed them, more and more drew closer. James wished he had something he could shoot. Wished Qrow had better ranged weaponry. As it stood, they were relying on Pyrrha, and she didn’t seem keen on using anything other than her shields at the moment.

Not that James blamed her.

The three converged onto the six lane avenue leading up to the stadium, still a few hundred feet away. The other Guild members came up with them, each being trailed by a massive amount of Grimm. From above came Penny and Ruby, floating down and then touching down next to James.

“We need to knock them back,” said James. A pause. “Where’s Blake?”

A great snarl came from a roof top and a creature, almost like a puma with golden eyes, leapt from the roof. It ripped its way through half a dozen bird Grimm and landed, facing the Grimm, next to James. There was a ripple, and it transformed back to Blake Belladonna, teeth red with viscera.

“Present,” she said.

“Pyrrha, blow them back if you can,” said James.

Pyrrha nodded and stepped forward. She clapped her hands together, took a deep breath, and then threw her hands forward. A great burst of wind erupted around the Grimm, spinning them into a whirlwind and driving them backward.

“Good, we’ve got room. Let’s go!” shouted James. As one, the Guild ran forward. Blake transformed mid-step, roaring again as she bolted ahead of them. Penny and Ruby took off as well, heading the charge of Guild members headed for the stadium. As they ran, more lights came on and more Grimm came forward. Glynda twisted and created constructs. Qrow sliced through them with Taurus’ sword. Pyrrha whipped her shields around. Blake led the charge.

They slid into the stadium, each of them panting with exertion, and circled up as the Grimm poured into the stadium, slowly curving around the edge. The bird Grimm flew overhead, swooping down to drop onto the stadium seats. All around them, the Grimm formed into hordes, pacing back and forth as they tried to study the Guild.

“All right,” said James. “We’ve got them in here. Once we find Cinder, we’ll be golden.” He raised his fists to fight, only to notice that the Grimm were just… watching. They weren’t attacking. Just shuffling around, as though they were waiting for something to happen.

As if on cue, Cinder Fall strolled into the stadium through the entrance, slowly, sarcastically, clapping.

“Oh, well done heroes,” purred Cinder. “You’ve frozen the city, drawn all my monsters, and effectively flushed me out of hiding.” She spread her hands and smirked; a slow, lop-sided curve of the mouth that revealed several teeth. “I couldn’t have done it better myself. But, you’ve forgotten one little detail.”

James narrowed his eyes.

“And what’s that?” snapped Pyrrha. Ruby laid a hand on her arm to keep her from moving.

Cinder raised a slim eyebrow, golden eyes dancing with mirth. “You should watch where you step.”

James frowned, then, he looked down and sucked in a breath. Burnt into the AstroTurf were great lines and circles. When James looked around, he could see that it was the symbol. _Salem’s_ symbol. And a trough was dug into the central circle.

“This is where you’re summoning her,” said James. “We ran right to it.”

Cinder tilted her head to one side. “Precisely.” She stepped forward, the Grimm still stationary. She was wearing high heels again, the glass black this time. “You see, it wasn’t difficult to determine where you’d hold your last stand. The stadium is large, well-lit, and central.” She shrugged. “It was child’s play, really. And… seeing as you already know who she is…” Cinder looked over her shoulder. “Oh, Raven,” she called.

From the shadows came the woman from before, dressed in red and black with a sword sheathed at her side. She wore one of the Grimm masks, but it was plain to see that she was the woman from the last fight.

“Raven,” breathed Qrow.

“Mom,” breathed Yang.

“Your time is up heroes. Give me the girls, and you will be free,” said Cinder.

Qrow snorted. “Yeah, because we believe anything you say. Fat fucking chance, you wicked _bitch._ Ruby and Pyrrha stay with us.”

“Fine then,” said Cinder with a casual, elegant shrug. “Then my monsters will destroy you. Oh, darlings?” The Grimm perked. Cinder’s eyes flashed to something that sent fear skittering up James’ spine. “Kill them all.”

“Stick to teams! Don’t let her open the portal!” shouted James.

“Mine!” snarled Pyrrha, and she bolted after Cinder. Qrow tore off after Raven, and everyone else went after the Grimm. After a moment of hesitation, and a low curse, James took off after Pyrrha and Cinder.

Pyrrha’s shields hit Cinder before she did. They got almost to Cinder before they were blown back in a ring of fire. One embed itself in the ground. Pyrrha leaped and caught the other, tucking and rolling back to her feet as she landed. Her hair whipped around her like a curtain of blood and James felt his breath catch.

“You will not take this from me,” said Pyrrha, her voice a growl. James flexed, checking his gauntlets before falling in next to Pyrrha.

“We do this together or we don’t do it at all,” said James. “She’s too powerful.”

“Fine,” snapped Pyrrha. “Try and keep up.” And then she was bolting after Cinder. Cinder leaped, flying backward in an almost perfect arch before she touched down in the stands. Pyrrha leaped, launched herself off one of her shields, and shot off after Cinder. James ran up the wall and hauled himself up just in time to see Pyrrha go flying backward.

She planted herself on the metal seats and snarled, hair flying. James slid in close to Cinder while she was watching Pyrrha and swung. But Cinder turned and got a hold of James’ fist. _Crunch._ He swore and yanked back as the heat overwhelmed his hand. Saw the carbon steel coating spread as it tried to protect him. He could feel the burn spreading across his body.

All around them, the Grimm shrieked and roared as the Guild took it on. Yang and Blake attacked as one. Qrow and Raven clashed together in the centre of it all. James turned his attention back to Cinder just as she sent a fireball at him. He threw up his arms to block and slide backward. Felt the heat wash over him and heard Pyrrha’s shout as Pyrrha attacked Cinder again.

Recovered, twisted around, came forward. Landed a punch between Cinder’s shoulder blades. She stumbled and spun. Shoes shattering and the glass raising into the air. It split into two arcs and came at both James and Pyrrha. He blocked the glass as it rammed into his metal coating. Saw Pyrrha rip up the metal benches to block Cinder’s attack.

“Pyrrha, up!” called James. She leapt into the air as James dove in and tackled Cinder around the knees. She slammed into the metal, heat burning through James’ body. His coating screamed as it tried to keep up with the heat. James tucked and rolled backward away from Cinder just as Pyrrha ripped up the benches and wrapped them around Cinder. The metal glowed white hot. Exploded. Pyrrha hit the seats upright, James and Cinder both sprung to their feet.

Fire and metal slung around the three as they fought. James kept darting in close to attack Cinder, only to be shoved back as he tried to keep from overheating again. He wasn’t sure if he could handle another heat attack.

The next slam backward and James looked back. Saw the symbol starting to glow down in the AstroTurf.

“We need to finish this!” he called to Pyrrha. She growled and lifted up the benches all around them, throwing them at Cinder. Cinder snarled as she was thrown backward and off the benches. Pyrrha and James leapt down after her, landing as she managed to throw the metal off her.

James ducked left. Pyrrha went right. The metal slammed into the walls behind them. Grimm close by but not attacking.

The symbols lit up all around Cinder and she laughed, deep and loud. “You’re too late!” she said. “Soon, Salem will rise from her prison and she will recreate the world in her own image.” Cinder clenched her hand and Pyrrha hit her knees, screaming. “And I will have more power than you can imagine.”

Nearby, James could see Qrow and Raven fighting.

“Qrow!” shouted James. Qrow tore off from his battle with Raven and ran at Cinder. He threw a second weapon, a pole, at James, and the two bolted for Cinder. They came at her head on, attacking on either side. She attacked back, fire and glass swirling around them, and they drove her back until she stood on the centre of the symbol, in the middle of the trough.

Raven came again and Qrow spun to attack, leaving James to Cinder.

“Raven, I know you’re in there!” called Qrow. “Please, listen to me. We don’t need to fight.” James saw Yang scrambling backward from the Grimm. She bumped into Raven and stared up at her. He spun to catch Cinder again.

“…Mom?”

“…Yang?” Raven stumbled. A Grimm came at Yang. Yang and Grimm and Raven screamed as one.

And then the Grimm was exploding. Raven’s sword hovering where it had been.

Her mask hit the ground and cracked.

Cinder shouted. Qrow and James circled Cinder and kept fighting. They drove closer and closer, forcing her into a defensive stance. Qrow got a good hit on the sword. Sliced open her dress across the shoulder and blood poured from the wound. Splattered into the fake grass. The trough started to glow.

“No, I refuse to lose,” snapped Cinder. “I’ve come too far. Given up too much.” She grabbed at her shoulder. Qrow struck again. A cut opened up on her face. Cinder threw out her injured arm. Fire billowed around Qrow.

He leaped backward and tossed his sword to James, James tossed the pole to Qrow.

And as James caught the sword Cinder came forward again, fire billowing around her. James saw the symbol draw light up into the sky, blinding him for a split second.

When his vision cleared, Cinder was on him, he flipped the sword and attacked her. Fire across the sword. Fire across James. His carbon coating screamed. James felt the heat rip through his body as the coating burnt out in places. Felt the burns lift up on his arms. He stepped forward with his attack one last time. Felt the blisters rip open across his good arm.

“This was a foolish fight,” snarled Cinder. “You never stood a chance.”

“As long as I keep fighting, I stand a chance,” said James. He struck again. Caught her in the leg. Saw more blood. Saw her stumble. She was losing. She was breaking. Black and red veins on her face. Bloodshot or bleeding eyes. Sweat on her face.

“I won’t let you win,” said Cinder. But she was stumbling now. Her fire couldn’t keep up with her claims. Her sword flickered into view and they crossed weapons.

James drove her back. Drove her further onto the symbol. She booted him and he skid backward. Fire and pain raced across his body. He knew nothing but battle and blood and pain.

“I won’t lose,” said James. He swung again. Faster and faster. The two whipped around each other, but Cinder was slowing and James was winning. He saw an opening, took advantage.

James stepped in closer. “Do you believe in destiny?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Cinder. She raised her sword to fight, leaving herself wide open.

“I don’t,” said James.

And he drove the red, red blade through Cinder’s chest and out her back, driving her to her knees. Blood poured from the wound and Cinder scrambled at the blade. James hauled it out of her and stepped back, out of the circle. Her sword vanished. Her eyes rolled back. She hit the ground and slumped over. Dead.

It was over. They were free.

…So why was the symbol still glowing?

“Everybody out!” shouted James. He leaped back past the symbol and grabbed Yang, tossing the sword back to Qrow, who grabbed Raven and yanked her back as well. They cleared the symbol as the lights went to the sky and as the screams of the Grimm overwhelmed all else.

A great red and black portal opened up in the centre circle of the symbol, the blood pouring from the trough and into the hole as it opened. Cinder’s body fell into the portal and a crimson light swirled up from the portal, forming into an oval.

James swore softly.

_The sacrifice._

But what about the vessel?

Cinder’s body rose back out of the portal, rotating slowly. James watched as Cinder’s skin turned white as snow, as black and red veins ripped open her skin, as her hair paled to white and her nails turned black as night. She touched down on the portal as though it was solid. When her eyes opened, they looked just as the eyes of every other infected person. Black sclera, red eyes.

_Salem._

“Such a foolish child, to think I’d leave her alive,” said Salem, stepping forward. Her outfit changed as she walked, warping from the red dress of Cinder Fall to a long black and white dress with a floor-length cape. “She was simply too powerful. Besides, the Horsemen powers were killing her.” She chuckled and flexed one hand, then reached out toward Pyrrha, who was staggering to her feet.

“Bow to your queen, _child_ ,” growled Salem in a low, terribly calm voice. Pyrrha dropped to one knee immediately and cried out, grabbing her head. The wind picked up around her. Salem’s gaze swung to Ruby, who was stumbling backward as she gripped her head.

The Maidens. Cinder had had a power. James still had his gun.

He swung it out and activated it, pointing it at Salem. There was a moment of nothing, then a great orange energy ripped out of Salem and sucked into the canister. James exhaled slowly as he stumbled under the pressure. Good, it was working.

Just as the orange finished, a green energy joined, and James realized it had to be Ozpin’s old magic. He tried to shut the gun off, but the orange mixed with the green and exploded into open air. James blew backward and slammed into the side of the stadium, near a bunch of immobile Grimm.

He grimaced and watched as Salem flew high into the sky, Ruby and Pyrrha following with glowing eyes. Bronze and silver and red. James swallowed hard.

Oh no.

Above the stadium, great black and red clouds began to swirl overhead, clashing streaks of lightning piercing the sky and striking hard across the city. The silvery shimmer around Atlas fell and James swallowed hard.

_No._

“Ruby!” shouted Taiyang.

“Pyrrha!” shouted Penny. She wobbled and took a knee. James stumbled to his feet and ran toward her. He put his hands on her shoulders and got a good look at her face. Her sclera were turning black, but her eyes stayed green and so did her freckles. The circuit board lines across her face were still glowing, though that glow was fading, and James saw the flutter of her lips as she struggled to breathe.

“What do we do now?” asked Qrow. Raven was on his other side as he jogged up.

“She on our side?” asked James, nodding to Raven.

Qrow looked at her and James could see the resemblance. The black hair, though Qrow’s was covered, the red eyes, the way they held themselves as though they were about to take flight. “Yeah,” said Qrow. “She’s with us.” Raven only nodded. With the mask gone, James trusted her a bit more, but he still worried she’d turn at any moment.

“All right,” said James. He looked around to see the Grimm starting to move again and looked down to Penny. “Can you put up a shield, like your father did?”

She managed and shaky nod and James helped her to her feet. She held out one hand, one of her swords appearing it in, and stabbed it into the ground. There was a flash and then a great green light erupted from the end of the sword. It spread out and formed a dome over the Guild members, separating them from the Grimm.

“We need to get the symbols in place,” said James. He looked up at Salem and saw the silver shimmer of Ruby’s time powers appear in the air again. A second freeze, this one ordered by Salem. “Penny, make sure she can’t freeze us.”

“Roger,” mumbled Penny, leaning against James.

He looked down at her. “Are you all right?”

She managed another nod. “I feel funny. Like I’m being pulled apart. But I can handle it.”

“If you’re sure,” said James. He turned his attention back to the Guild. “Everybody has their symbols. Grab your chalk, put them in place, and stay safe. We don’t have much time.” The Grimm were clawing at the shield now. “Pair up and watch each other’s backs. Penny, you’re with me. Once we get the symbol in place, our priority is Ruby and Pyrrha. Everyone ready?”

Nods all around.

“Penny? Drop the shield.”

In a sudden flash of light, the dome around them vanished and the Grimm poured forward. All around him, Guild members spread out and pulled their weapons, eyes narrowed and determination in their expressions.

“Let’s go!” shouted James. Everyone took off in pairs, with Penny alongside James. James had his pole back and swung it around, using it to flick the Grimm away from him whenever he could. Penny’s swords appeared around her, though they flickered for a second, and she swung them in a wide arc to cut through the Grimm. It gave them a clear path.

“Penny, up,” said James. Penny flicked her wrist and as they jumped, they soared up onto the stands again, where a bird Grimm was waiting. James swung around his pole as it shrieked at them and jammed it to hold its beak open. Penny’s swords shot inward and sliced open the bird from the inside out. It exploded in a flash of oil and smoke. Another one flew down and James snagged his pole and threw it at the bird. It lit up green halfway through the air and when it hit the bird Grimm, both it and the pole exploded in a shower of light.

“I’ve got you,” said Penny, spinning to face the stadium, swords splayed all around her. “Get the symbol.”

James pulled out the black chalk and leaped over the last bench, scratching the marking into the back wall. All around the stadium, he could see others putting their symbols up on the walls. Saw Yang fall and saw Taiyang leap and catch her, sending them both rolling. Saw the Grimm coming for them and opened his mouth to get Penny to go after them, only to see Raven streak forward and slice the Grimm to pieces before pulling both of the Xiao Longs to their feet.

He finished the symbol, double checking to ensure it was correct. They couldn’t afford any more mstakes.

“Symbol’s up, let’s get back to the fight,” said James. He and Penny leaped over the benches and off the stands, touching down on the burnt AstroTurf again. All around them, the winds were picking up, and James dropped to one knee to keep himself from being blown over. He looked to the sky and saw Pyrrha holding out her arms, great winds surrounding her and whipping her hair all around her. Darker red against the crimson-black of the swirling clouds.

Like blood.

James swallowed hard. He needed to stop thinking like that.

“How many are up?” he called to Qrow.

“That should be all of ‘em,” said Qrow, jogging up. He swung sideways at the last moment, bringing up his sword to block one of the bear Grimm. He booted the thing in the chest and sent it back into another Grimm. Raven came up behind them and sliced through them. The four fell back to back, Penny, Qrow, and Raven with their swords, and James with his gauntlets.

He probably shouldn’t have thrown his pole. He needed the range.

“Penny, get those symbols active,” said James. “We’ve got you covered.”

“Good luck,” said Raven. James started at the roughness of her voice. He hadn’t expected that.

Penny nodded and darted for the giant symbol, the circuit board lines of her body igniting. The lights of the stadium flickered overhead, creating an on-off flash of dark and light as the Grimm came forward again.

“Keep her safe,” said James. “We need to get those symbols active and get the girls back.”

Wolves and bears came forward, their red eyes and partial masks standing out even in the flickering lights. James punched one of the Grimm as it came forward. Side-stepped and slugged the next. Beat at and stomped on everything he could. Blocked a bite with his arm and booted the Grimm in the chest. Grimaced.

Damn it. Coating wasn’t all there. Couldn’t rely on blocks.

That Grimm hit one behind it and both went down just as another came forward. Birds flew overhead, but Hummingbird had those handled. He teleported in a blur of green from bird to bird. They exploded or fell, one after the other.

“Hey.” Raven’s voice. James turned and ended up catching her sword. “I don’t need it and you need range.”

“How will you fight?” asked James. He spun, sword coming up to block the claws of the next wolf. The sword hummed in his hands and James felt himself fall into old rhythms he hadn’t used it forever. Felt himself twist and shift with the sword. Up, block, down, slice. Three more Grimm fell to him.

He let himself focus on the rhythms. Let himself cut through the Grimm with his instincts.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Raven get swiped across the face. Her head snapped back, then forward. Blood dripped from her cheek. With a flick of her wrist, the blood oozed from the wound and poured into a new, razer thin sword. She tore after the Grimm with new fury.

The three sword fighters fought, back to back, driving back the Grimm as Penny worked her magic. They clashed and clattered. Bones and skin on blades, then teeth on blades as well. Oil spilled, blood flew. James felt the parts of his body no longer covered scream from the blisters that rose from them. He gritted his teeth and kept going, even as he stumbled under the pain.

Blood streaked his brow. When had he gotten hit there?

Purple constructs raced across the stadium, blowing up Grimm wherever they landed. One went for Blunderbuss, who was overwhelmed, and ripped the Grimm away from him.

James blocked another Grimm and cursed. He could feel the strain in his arms and legs. Feel the pain despite the adrenaline. Feel the blisters tearing open as new wounds formed. Block, spin, slice, tear. Another Grimm fell. Then another.

Flicker of dark to light and dark again. The flash of red of the sword and of the Grimm. Qrow and Raven on either side. James swore as a Grimm took him to his knees. Another red flash. The Grimm vanished and Qrow hauled him to his feet. Back to back as they kept fighting.

“Penny!” he called.

“Got it!” came Penny’s reply. As she spoke, the lights of the stadium flashed on solidly and the glow of the symbol behind James turned an eerie green. High above them, Salem wobbled and grabbed her head. Pyrrha and Ruby both fell out of the sky as one. The winds didn’t stop.

Glynda swept through the air on a purple platform and caught them both in her constructs, lowering the three into the stands.

Great winds whipped around James and he stumbled, watching as the Grimm around them started to explode or get dragged forward. He looked over his shoulder to see the portal in the centre circle reopen and great winds sweep around it. They sucked everything inward, drawing it all to the pulsating, sucking portal that begged for Salem.

Penny scrambled backward and fell, clawing at the AstroTurf to keep herself steady.

“It’s pulling me in!” she cried. Glynda’s purple constructs whipped forward and grabbed her, yanking her to the stands.

“Everyone get clear,” called James. He struggled forward, using the sword to haul himself away from the worst of the wind and scramble toward the stands. All around him, others were clawing their way forward. Yang slipped and fell forward, only for Hummingbird to appear and grab her. Blunderbuss wrapped an arm around Blake, who hauled him to safety before transforming back, and Taiyang got up on the other side with Puma and Winter.

And Salem fell toward the ground, scrambling at open air to get away from the portal. She landed fifteen feet from it and great vines erupted out of the ground for her to hang on to.

“You won’t get rid of me that easily!” shouted Salem, but the Grimm were vanishing or being dragged into the portal. Ruby and Pyrrha jerked forward, but Glynda’s constructs wrapped tighter around them. She slipped forward. So did James. So did Taiyang and the others, across the way.

“The winds are getting stronger,” said James, grabbing Raven as she skidded toward the edge. Qrow latched onto the railing and held fast. “We need to get her into that portal, now.”

“I don’t have the power to hold these two and do that,” said Glynda.

“I can do it,” said Penny. Before anyone could protest, she lifted into the air and shot forward, touching down ten feet from Salem. Salem chuckled and got to her feet, using the vines to hold herself steady.

Salem said, “You’re not your father.”

“No, I’m better,” said Penny. Hr entire body lit up, circuit board lights and glowing eyes. A cape appeared around her shoulders, glowing green as well.

Green energy ripped across the AstroTurf and shot at Salem, only for her to block it with swirls of black and red. Her cloak swirled into her colours as well.

Then Salem was sending portals to Penny, which poured out Grimm. Penny’s swords appeared. They cut through the Grimm as Penny twirled and spun around on the AstroTurf. She was knocked forward and Penny yelped. Grabbing at the fake grass. Salem shot a hand forward and growled, her magic arching toward Penny.

Penny rolled out of the way. Back on her feet and swords cutting through the rest of the Grimm. As they vanished, Penny bolted toward Salem, the swords vanishing and Ozpin’s scythe appearing. She screamed as she came down, clashing with Salem’s long spear as it appeared.

The two were on their feet now, spinning and twirling around each other so fast that James’ eyes couldn’t follow. All he could see was the blur of green and crimson-black that spiralled around the stadium faster and faster. As Grimm appeared and disappeared in an instant. As the winds picked up and James was forced to hang on to the railing as hard as he could. As Glynda gripped everyone in her constructs on both sides of the stadium.

Penny and Salem rose into the air, spiralling around each other faster and faster as they clashed. Scythe, then swords, spear, then bow. Forward and back and around and around. Higher into the air as the two screamed and shrieked. Then they were both diving back toward the AstroTurf, toward the portal.

They pulled free at the last second. Penny’s swords flipped over into guns and shot off in all directions. With the silver shimmer around the stadium, the bullets were freezing ten feet from Penny’s swords. Salem drew out a modified rifle, her own bullets flying and freezing. Until a spectacular tower of bullets hung frozen in mid-air as they fell and rose.

And still the portal pulled harder. Benches ripped up from the ground and came toward the portal, sucked in. Trees from outside the stadium were ripped up. More and more items flew into the portal but still Penny and Salem fought. Still their powers exploded across the stadium.

Their feet left marks where they touched down for split seconds at a time. Green and crimson-black. Marks that held them steady despite the growing winds.

Ruby gasped. The shimmer vanished. The bullets moved. Explosions that had James shielding his eyes against their brightness and his ears from the sound. Not one of them touched the Guild on either side of the stadium. The stadium was half destroyed when he looked up again. Seats and benches and walls torn apart. Lights exploding and fading. Penny and Salem glowing in the middle of it all, above the still perfect symbol.

Penny and Salem hit the ground. Salem held a bow, Penny floated her swords all around them. They stood, perfectly still, for but an instant, then they were both firing again, leaping around each other even as they were dragged closer and closer to the portal.

Green glows on Penny, crimson and black on Salem. Their power tore up what was left of the stadium. Or was it the portal? James didn’t know.

Arrow after arrow flew at Penny, but she deflected each one with barely a flick of her wrist. Her swords spun around her like a shield, faster and faster until nothing could possibly get through them. Penny’s guns fired over and over, but Salem’s shields absorbed it all like it was nothing.

Penny faltered. Glows flickering as her she got too close to the portal. She pulled herself free, but her rhythm was lost. Tried to recover as her swords reformed around her.

And then, in slow motion, James saw the last arrow Salem notched. Saw the way it dissolved around Penny’s swords only to reform and strike her dead centre in her chest.

“No!” shouted James.

Penny dropped to her knees and grabbed at the arrow, staring at Salem as Salem grinned and approached Penny.

“Pathetic girl, you’re nowhere near Ozpin’s calibre,” purred Salem.

“Penny,” breathed James. He looked and saw Ruby and Pyrrha unconscious in Glynda’s constructs.

“What can stop her?” asked Raven.

“Obsidian,” said James.

Raven stared at him, eyes growing wide and then realization dawning. Salem approached Penny. The winds kept whipping around them. Taiyang clung to the railing on the other side as though his life depended on it. The constructs flickered as Glynda grew weary.

“Give me my sword,” said Raven. She held out her hand and James handed it to her, still gripping the railing with his metal hand, without thought.

“What are you doing?” asked Qrow.

Raven looked at Qrow, at Ruby, at Yang, and then at Taiyang, across the stadium. “My sword’s obsidian. I think I was meant to kill the Wizard,” she said.

“No!” shouted Qrow. He scrambled at the railing, lifting into the air as Glynda’s constructs failed. “You do this, you’ll die, Raven. I’m not losing you when I just got you back.”

Raven smiled at Qrow and slung her sword across her back. “I’m sorry, Qrow.”

“But-”

“I love you,” said Raven. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Make sure you tell the others I love them too.” She looked at Salem, took a deep breath, and released the railing.

Immediately, Raven flew into the centre of the stadium, hitting the AstroTurf between Salem and Penny. She drew her sword and growled at Salem.

“Move,” barked Salem.

“Make me,” snapped Raven.

And James watched as Salem held out her hands just as Raven lunged. Raven was batted aside like a rag doll. Salem kept coming. Held out one hand to Penny as Penny cried out, circuit board lights flickering on her face as her eyes faded to a regular colour and her freckles faded to brown. He gripped the railing and watched, unable to move for fear of making things worse.

Salem drew Penny’s magic from her, drawing the green smoke out of her eyes like water. Penny cried. James stared in horror.

But Salem didn’t see Raven get back up. Salem didn’t see Raven bring up her sword. And she didn’t see Raven drive it through her lower back, poking out just below her ribs. Salem gasped. The storm above them flickered.

“Time to face your pyre, Salem,” said Raven, her voice carried on the wind. She pulled the sword from Salem and booted her toward the portal. Turned to grab Penny and didn’t notice as Salem reached out and formed her spear. Didn’t notice as Salem threw it straight on and struck Raven through the back and through the heart.

Raven’s sword hit the ground and she clawed at the spear. But it was too late. Her eyes went dark. She slumped to the ground next to Penny.

Salem scrambled at the Turf, trying to recover. But the suction was too strong and the Turf too weak. And Salem was dragged through the spinning, crimson-black portal. She screamed all the way down.

And then it was over. In an instant, the portal closed, the winds vanished, and all the Guild members lowered themselves back to solid ground on the stands. The storm clouds above vanished in swirls, leaving the clear night sky with its stars.

Around them, the lights from the city began to flicker back on.

James leaped from stands and hit the stadium field, running for Penny. He got there just in time to catch her as she fell over and held her close to him.

“Penny,” he whispered. “Stay with me. Stay with me.”

She stared up at James, the arrow still piercing her chest. “I’m so… cold.”

“I’ve got you,” said James, cradling her in his arms. “I’ve got you.” And he pulled her closer as her eyes flickered closed and as her circuit board lights dimmed even further. “Stay with me.”

* * *

 

James sat at Penny’s bedside and listened to the heartbeat monitor. Between the bandages, the antibiotics, and the burn cream, he was stiff enough for it to hurt, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was watching Penny. She was stable, and in her infirmary clothing, he could see the mark of the slowly healing wound. Yang had healed the worst of it before they’d gotten back to the Beacon.

He hadn’t known she could do that.

Neither had she.

Small miracles, or something like them, at least.

He wondered how she’d feel about the scar. Wondered if magical arrows meant she couldn’t get rid of it, like any other mark on her.

“Mr. Ironwood?” Ruby’s voice was soft in the door way. James gestured for her to come in.

“Hey, Ruby,” he said, just as softly.

Ruby sat down in one of the other chairs and watched Penny for a minute as well. Then, “Will she be okay?”

“I hope so,” said James. “I think so. Your sister is a miracle worker.”

“Nah,” said Ruby. “She’s just Yang.”

“There’s nothing ‘just’ about me, little red,” came Yang’s voice from the door. She walked into the room, Taiyang trailing behind her, and rested her new prosthetic arm on the back of Ruby’s chair. It creaked slightly and Yang winced, releasing the chair. “Sorry, still getting used to it.”

“It’s fine,” said James. She’d only had it for a few hours, after all, and it had only been a day since everything had happened. It would take time for her to adjust. But she had help. She had James, and Glynda, and Oobleck, and anyone else that would help her.

James glanced at Yang and nearly lost his breath. Her purple eyes had tiny flecks of gold around the pupils, and there was a fire in them he didn’t think was completely metaphorical.

“She was incredible out there,” murmured Taiyang, drawing James from his thoughts. “We wouldn’t have won without her.”

James stood and laid a hand on Taiyang’s shoulder. “Or Raven. I’m sorry she wasn’t around long enough for you to say your goodbyes.”

Tai shrugged and looked at Penny’s bed. “Hey, she came back, and Yang got to see her. That’s what’s important,” said Taiyang. He smiled sadly at James.

“Fair enough,” said James, softly. He nodded toward Penny. “Do you mind keeping an eye on her while I check up with the others?”

“Not at all,” said Taiyang. With a nod, James headed from the room. He padded toward the meeting room, his metal arm only half concealed and his left arm in a sling.

Inside, he found only a few members of the Guild. Tukson was talking to Bart and Peter, who were tucked up together on one of the couches. They all fell silent and looked at James as he walked into the room.

“All right,” he said. “How bad is it?”

“Damage control has already started, thanks to our friends at Atlas Unlimited,” said Bart. He tapped a button on his Scroll and the screens appeared all around them. “City lights are back at full power, but the block around the stadium is pretty torn up, and the stadium itself is unsalvageable. We’ll need to help.”

“Ironwood Industries can handle funding, we’ll be sure to make an appearance to help with the clean up effort,” said James.

“No one’s quite sure what happened,” said Tukson, standing. “But we’ve already had Glynda issue a statement. She was fantastic. The people are… worried, but they’re willing to listen.”

“Good, good,” said James. He combed his fingers through his hair. “It’s a start, at least. What about the Blight?”

“Gone,” said Bart. “It’s incredible. It’s like everyone was cured overnight. They’re calling it a miracle. People are still recovering, of course, but that’s what we’ve been seeing.”

James knew it wasn’t a miracle. They all did. It was the destruction of Cinder. The recapturing of Salem. But the people of Atlas needed hope, and so James wouldn’t correct them if he didn’t have to.

“Thank you,” he said. “Keep me posted.” The three men nodded and returned to what they’d been discussing before.

He headed from the meeting room and toward Ozpin’s office, where he figured he’d find Glynda. Halfway there, he paused and turned back into the infirmary, a different room this time, seeing a familiar flash of white and blue.

Winter sat at Amber’s bedside, holding her hand. And Amber? Amber was wide awake, smiling and chatting softly with Winter. The two looked up when James walked into the room, and Amber absently touched her facial scars with her spare hand. Her copper eyes were as bright as James had ever seen them.

“It’s good to see you awake,” said James. “I didn’t know if you would wake up again.”

Amber smiled softly at James. “I’m awake and I have the rest of my Spring powers back.” She frowned. “Winter told me what happened. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.”

“It’s fine,” said James. “We managed just fine, and I’m glad you’re all right.”

“Is it true the Wizard is dead? And Cinder? And Salem?” asked Amber.

James leaned against the door frame and sighed softly. “Yes, the Wizard, _Ozpin_ , is dead. Cinder killed them and they will be missed. Cinder is gone as well, thanks to the efforts of the Guild,” said James. “And Salem… is back on the moon, as far as we know. She won’t be bothering us any time soon.”

Amber settled against her pillows. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad.” Then, after a brief pause, “Wait, if Cinder is dead, then who is the Fall Maiden?”

James thought of Yang’s golden flecks. Of the fire that hugged her close. “I have a few ideas, but you should focus on healing, then we’ll talk Maidens.”

Amber nodded and tangled her fingers tighter with Winter’s. “All right.”

“Winter, are you all right?” asked James.

Winter looked back at James and nodded, lips pursed. “Worried, but all right. Amber’s awake, that’s what’s most important.” She sighed quietly. “My father is angry with the Guild, but my sister is calming him. He still doesn’t know I’m a member, thankfully.” A pause. “However, Weiss… wants to join us, when she turns eighteen.”

With a smile, James said, “Well, we’d be happy to have her.” He headed back out the door. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

Now, James continued his journey to Ozpin’s office, whereupon he hesitated only briefly before opening the door.

The gears were still scattered across the room, having touched nothing when they fell. One of them dug into the floor, but not enough for James to worry about structure. And, sitting behind the desk, feet propped on the glass surface, was Glynda.

“You haven’t moved them yet,” said James.

She sighed and shook her head, pushing her glasses back up her nose. “No. I’ve… been trying to find a way to suspend them again. Perhaps steel cables or something similar.” She frowned. “I don’t want them to leave.” The words were soft, almost a confession.

“You miss them,” said James, and he knew that they both knew they were no longer talking about gears.

“I was the first, how could I not?” asked Glynda. “The Wizard… Ozpin. They saved me from myself. Brought me back and showed me what it meant to be a person. To do good. To not let guilt consume you.” Yeah, James could relate. Ozpin had done the same thing for him when he was in the worst point of his life. “I helped put the Guild together, and with them gone…” She shook her head. “Is it right to go on?”

“I think so,” said James. “The Guild was Ozpin’s life work. Wouldn’t they want us to keep going? Wouldn’t they want us to keep their dream alive? The world will always have good and evil in it, Glynda, and if we can do something to keep the balance tipped in the favour of good, shouldn’t we do it?”

Glynda nodded, slow and steady. “I guess,” she said. She glanced up at James through her glasses. “Could you leave me alone? I need some time.”

“Of course,” said James. “I have my Scroll if you need anything.” He turned and left the room. He suspected that Glynda wouldn’t call, at least not for some time. She needed space. He could respect that. Everyone needed space sometimes.

The next portion of James’ journey he wasn’t sure where to go, so he let his feet carry him through the hallways, passed the bedrooms, passed the library, and eventually to the training room, where he heard noises from within.

James opened the door and saw Pyrrha and Blake leisurely sparring with one another. Blake’s eyes were glowing. So were Pyrrha’s. Neither seemed particularly upset.

Blake saw him first and her eyes stopped glowing. She cocked her head and Pyrrha turned, lighting up when she saw him.

“James!” said Pyrrha. She jogged over to him and hugged him tight in her workout clothes. James hid his wince when she pressed against one of his bandages. At least she wasn’t using her Anomaly on him anymore. “How are you? Are you healing all right?”

“Fine,” said James. “How are you?”

Pyrrha faltered. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, then she looked away. “I’m… all right.”

“She won’t sleep,” said Blake, walking up. “Says she’s scared of what she’ll see.”

James looked at Pyrrha, who ducked her head, pressing her lips together. “Pyrrha?” he asked.

Pyrrha rubbed her arm. “We saved the world. Isn’t that what matters?”

“Not if you’re not okay,” said James. He rested his hand on her shoulder. “Talk to me.”

With a shake of her head, Pyrrha turned partially away from him to frown at the floor. “I’ll survive. I’m scared and I’m tired and I can’t sleep properly, but I’ll survive.” She gripped her arms tightly as she folded them. “But I killed someone. I killed a lot of someones, if you count the Grimm, and I _liked_ it, in the moment. Now?” She looked back at James. “I don’t know. But I know I don’t regret it.”

She grimaced, lips trembling. “I don’t know what to do.” The words were a whisper, forlorn and unsure.

James pulled Pyrrha into a tight hug and let her cry into his shoulder.

“You’ll be okay,” said James into her hair. “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, you’ll be able to sleep without seeing his face in your dreams. Someday, you’ll be able to pick up a sword and not feel the weight of what you did in your hands. It won’t go away, it never does, but you’ll be able to live with it at least.”

“How do you know?” asked Pyrrha.

“Because I can,” said James, pulling back. “And if you’ve taught me anything, Pyrrha, it’s that you’re just as strong as me when you need to be. And I’ll be here for you, every step of the way.”

“So will I,” said Blake. “If you want.”

“More than you might think,” said James.

Pyrrha and Blake both looked at James, brows furrowed.

“When Penny wakes up, I plan to ask her if she would mind my adopting her, seeing as she’s now an orphan and I want her to experience the world,” said James. “And, if you’d let me, Blake, I’d like to adopt you as well.”

Blake stared up at him with wide eyes. “Really?” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “You want to… to be my family?”

James nodded, smiling as he kept his arm around Pyrrha. “Yes, I do.”

“We’d be sisters,” said Blake, looking at Pyrrha.

“I think that sounds lovely,” said Pyrrha, and she drew Blake into a hug with herself and James.

The three stood like that for a minute, holding each other close, and when they pulled back, Blake nodded at him.

“Please,” said Blake. “I think that’s great.”

James kissed both her and Pyrrha’s foreheads. “Good,” he said. “I’ll be right back. I have one more stop to make.”

They waved him off and returned to their sparring. With that done, James headed for the one room left in the Beacon: the solarium.

He hadn’t been here since he’d last spoken with the Wizard, before that fateful battle, but the room was the same. Floor to ceiling windows, a beautiful view of the planet and the moon, and a figure standing at the windows. Except, this time, it was Qrow instead of Ozpin.

“Hey,” said James, softly, as he approached Qrow.

“Hey,” said Qrow. He smiled at James in the reflection of the glass. “How’s everyone?”

“Good,” said James. “Amber’s awake, the Guild is running damage control, and Tai and the girls are watching Penny for me. Pyrrha’s… recovering, but Blake is helping, and I will be too, as soon as I can. How’re you?”

Qrow pressed his lips together and frowned. “I’m not sure,” said Qrow. “I’m glad I got to see Raven, but…”

“Yeah, it was painful,” said James. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of what else to do. I didn’t realize…”

“If Salem had her from the day of the Freeze, then Raven probably did things neither one of us can imagine,” said Qrow, softly. “I don’t think she could live with herself. And to go down saving the world? What better way is there to go?” He let out a bitter laugh. “I’ll get over it. Least I got to see her one last time. Least I got to know what happened.”

“Does it help?” asked James. “Knowing?”

“Yeah, some,” said Qrow. He sighed and leaned against James, his head on James’ shoulder. James slipped an arm around Qrow’s waist. “Junior and Roman called. They said their girls are waking up, and to thank you and the doc.”

“Good,” said James. “I’m glad.”

They were silent for a minute, staring out at the slow motions of the planet far below.

Eventually, Qrow asked, “So, what now?”

“We rebuild,” said James. “We fight evil. We do what we’ve always done. Salem might be locked away on the moon, but she won’t be gone forever. I want to find a permanent solution for her. But even with Salem defeated, there’s still evil in the world, Qrow. There always will be, and it’s our job to fight it.”

“Our job?” echoed Qrow. His reflection raised an eyebrow.

“If you want it to be,” said James. “The Guild _does_ have an opening, and you _are_ uniquely qualified.”

Qrow chuckled. “You know, back in the fall, I wouldn’t have agreed. Would’ve told you that you were crazy for thinking a renegade vigilante like me could ever be part of your high and mighty team.”

“And now?” asked James.

Qrow turned in his arm to smile up at James. “Let’s just say I’ve learned the value of teamwork,” he said, and he leaned up and kissed James. The gesture was soft and sweet, saying all the things that went unsaid between them. “You taught me a lot, Jim.”

“Like?” asked James. He slid his arms around Qrow’s waist and drew him close.

“How to love again, for one,” said Qrow.

James hesitated, eyes widening, then smiled softly. “I love you too,” he whispered, and he kissed Qrow again. “Now, come on, let’s go get you inducted so you can help us run damage control.” He tugged Qrow toward the door and Qrow followed after.

The world was safe, and maybe it wasn’t perfect – Glynda and Qrow were mourning, Penny was unconscious while she healed, Pyrrha was still broken from the last few months, and there was an immense amount of rebuilding to do. But the people he loved were safe, his family was growing, and the Guild could still keep Atlas free from harm.

But now, James could take a break to help Pyrrha, Blake, and Penny heal. He could take a break and find out more about Qrow and what he and Qrow were, and he could learn more about the nieces and brother he’d just inherited. After all of this, he could finally step back, knowing the world was taken care of, and take some time to keep the people he loved safe and help them recover.

And in the end, that was what mattered most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it folks, that's all they wrote. That's the end of _Smells Like Team Spirit_. So much has changed since the beginning of the story, including this ending, but I hope that it is satisfying to all of you, just as it was to me. Sure, there are still things going on, and yes, there are still people who need to recover, but this is where our journey with the Guild, James, and Qrow ends. Some day I might return to this universe to write short stories and prequels, heck, maybe even a sequel, if we get new villains. But for now? This is where we say goodbye.
> 
> What can I say about this story? It started so much smaller than it came to be. It was supposed to be 25,000 words total, and this part is just a few thousand short of that by itself. I think I realized, pretty quickly, that it was going to be longer, but I don't think I realized how much longer until I finally finished it.
> 
> This whole thing started out as a love letter to superheroes, and to the Justice League specifically. As I'm sure you've all noticed, Qrow and James have swapped around aspects of Superman/Clark Kent and Batman/Bruce Wayne, and that was by design. Especially with this ending - after all, what is Batman without his Robins and Batgirls? Heh. But even though this story started out as a love letter, it grew to be so much more, and I know those who've watched me write and plot it have seen how much I've changed. From Dust being a highly addictive drug, to the way the Wizard went down, to even the final fight. So much has changed from the initial plans.
> 
> And you know what? I'm fine with that, because I think the story is better for it.
> 
> As I say goodbye to Smells Like Team Spirit, I'd like to thank everyone who made it possible. Theo, who gave me the codename for Qrow, and inadvertently spawned Qrow fighting Nevermores in the final battle. The IDS chat, who listened to me ramble for hours without giving anything away, and who have encouraged me every step of the way. To all the commentators and kudo'rs, who told me the story was loved. To Slush, for the liveblogs. To Red, for her theories. To everyone who gave me ideas to change things and make the story better.
> 
> And to every single reader who's enjoyed the story, whether you've commented or not. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
> 
> Well, that's all I'm going to say here. If you want to know more about the universe behind Smells Like Team Spirit, check out my wrap-up post, [linked here on my Tumblr](http://anipendragon.tumblr.com/post/146862832765/smells-like-team-spirit-wrap-up-post), and, if you have any questions, please send them to me [on Tumblr (I have anons on),](http://anipendragon.tumblr.com/) or ask them down below in the comments.
> 
> Stay safe, enjoy your day/night, and remember, comments are love!
> 
> Cheers y'all!

**Author's Note:**

> COMMENTS ARE LOVE.
> 
> Find me on [Tumblr!](http://anipendragon.tumblr.com/)


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